Sarawak's Abdul Taib Mahmud, Malaysia's longest-serving chief minister, said last night that he would not bow to pressure from any quarters for him to resign.

"I will go in my own time. I will go after I'm prepared, and that everything is OK," he said at his 23rd anniversary dinner as the state's chief executive in Kuching last night.

Two days earlier, Taib, who took over from his uncle and political nemesis Abdul Rahman Yakub on March 26, 1981 as chief minister, told reporters: "I have a strange feeling that the recent rumours (about his resignation) originated from Kuala Lumpur." He did not elaborate.

Last night, Taib told state BN leaders and members of component parties attending the dinner at a leading Kuching hotel that he would relinquish his position only after he had found a successor "who is able to look after the interests of Sarawak."

He added that he wanted to make sure before quitting that "all the prerequisites of a progressive, paceful and united Sarawak stay."

Taib also said he would ensure that the state BN's struggle for unity and prosperity would continue without interruption and that it would not be disrupted by what he described as petty politicians or the very narrow interest of some people who, he added, had shown their true colours lately.

Snap under fire

According to political observers, Taib's comments about petty politicians were referring to those in the Sarawak National Party (Snap) and some dissent groups within the state BN who had been agitating for him to go.

"No amount of pressure can force for me to withdraw," he said again."In fact, I will fight harder against any attempt to disrupt our struggle."

Taib said it was not in his nature to yield or buckle under pressure and assured state BN leaders supporting him he would not desert them "by giving up just like that."

He added: "It is my nature to do my best and it is my nature to give way to people who I think can give the best to the country," he reiterated.

The chief minister said he had groomed a lot of potential leaders, and he believed that there would be a sufficient pool of people who had gained enough experience to become a good leader.

Taib also said he was lucky to have "sincere leaders from all races who believe in what I believe in."

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu said since Taib became chief minister in 1981, the poverty level in Sarawak had reduced from 38 per cent to five per cent today.

The state Growth Domestic Product (GDP) had grown by at least four times since.

From being Malaysia's bottom three, Sarawak had emerged to be among the top three states in the country, he added.

Jabu, one of the longest-serving state ministers who earlier served under Abdul Rahman Yakub, said Taib had been falsely accused of splitting the Dayaks.

"It is the Dayaks themselves who chose to split themselves. It is the Dayaks who choose to fight the BN," he said in a clear reference to Snap who is now outside the state BN after the party was de-registered by the Registrar of Societies in November 2002.