Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will go o­n leave in March and April, and his deputy Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will be acting prime minister during this period, according to a Bernama report today.

The 76-year-old premier, who is scheduled to step down later this year, will be hosting the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Kuala Lumpur from Feb 20 to 25.

Mahathir shocked the nation when he tearfully announced his decision to resign last June during the Umno annual general assembly.

However, the premier was persuaded to stay o­n for another year and will relinquish his post after hosting the Organisation of Islamic Conference meet here this October.

A senior government official told AFP last week that the prime minister will go o­n a holiday abroad "partly to rest".

Decision final

Mahathir had repeatedly stressed that his decision to step down was final and when asked recently if he would change his mind if the country's economy deteriorated, he replied: "No, I think I have put the economy as right as it can be. After this is somebody else's job."

During his 22 years in office, the premier has had four deputies.

His previous deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, was sacked in 1998 and subsequently jailed o­n charges of sodomy and corruption.

The former Mahathir protege - who is serving a 15-year jail term - claimed that the charges were fabricated to oust him. This accusation has been denied by the government.

Meanwhile, today's newspapers reported the premier as saying that he would not call for a general election before he steps down.

He said the election date will be decided by Abdullah, ending talks that the premier might opt to lead o­ne last campaign.

The government does not need to call an election until late 2004.

In today's Bernama report, the premier confirmed that an election will not be called.

"In March and April I will be o­n leave. The Umno meetings will be inMay, June and July and then there will be the OIC summit. Where we have time," he said.