Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said he would only fill vacant state cabinet posts "within the next three months" following the appointment of a minister and an assistant minister to federal cabinet positions.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi appointed Adenan Satem (left) as Natural Resources and Environment Minister and Joseph Entulu as deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

Although Taib was widely expected to fill the vacancies quickly, he dashed hopes by saying he would first have to consult state Barisan Nasional leaders before making changes to his cabinet, which is equivalent to a state executive committee.

The delay is said to be designed to give time to the rival factions in Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) to resolve a serious internal dispute.

The party is expected to hold its triennial delegates conference within the next few months, apparently to meet Abdullah's condition for reinstating it on March 10 - three days before nomination day for the general election. The party had been de-registered last December.

Pending decision

Also the subject of speculation is that Taib (right) may call the state election before September 2006 - perhaps later this year or early next year.

A political analyst said the chief minister would have been buoyed by the state BN's massive victory in the parliamentary elections held on March 21, as well as improved prospects for resolution of the PBDS crisis.

"Before Taib steps down, he will want to put his men all in place," he noted.

Even Adenan, who is Taib's trusted lieutenant, will remain chairperson of the Sarawak Foundation, a statutory body that gives out scholarships, among other activities, from funds generated from timber revenue.

This is being interpreted to mean that Taib wants Adenan to sustain close links with Sarawak, to remain a potential successor when the chief minister decides to call it a day.

Meanwhile, Taib has yet to act on a resignation letter from assistant minister Wahab Dolah.

Taib told reporters yesterday that Wahab wanted to go back to business, but this has not stopped speculation on the reasons for the resignation.

Earlier, talk had it that Wahab had expected to be appointed federal Special Functions Minister to replace fellow-Sarawakian Effendi Norwawi, and that his name had been submitted to the prime minister for consideration. However, the post has been scrapped.

"Taib probably wants to cool things down a little before formally accepting Wahab's resignation and naming a replacement," said a political analyst.