How do leaders relinquish power when they want to do so? They do it in a measured, professional way.

They begin dropping broad hints sometime before they want to leave to start making citizens and economic stakeholders comfortable with the pending change.

And when the time comes, they make a formal, firm announcement and smoothly pass over the rein.

Tunku Abdul Rahman did it that way. So did Tun Hussein Onn.

They definitely don't do a teary, tug-at-the-heartstrings skit on prime-time television.

It seems like Mahathir's shenanigan was the opening move in a well-thought-out plan. What that plan is will become clear in the coming months as we head towards October next year when Mahathir, we are told, will step down.

Some things are certain. By the time October 2003 rolls around, Mahathir is going to be elevated to the status of a demigod by his followers.

Watch for majestic statues, elusive museums, numerous roads, schools and other institutions named Mahathir. And the books, movies, songs... it's going to be a veritable industry springing up in the next little while.

Will he, for instance, get to keep his palatial residence in Putrajaya? It would be a foolish man or woman who would bet against that.

More important, though, is the disbelief I and probably many others have that Mahathir would actually hand over the rein of power totally and ride off into the sunset. That's just not the man we have come to know and love.

There's going to be a lot of punditry ahead. Let me add my two bits.

I believe Mahathir is taking a leaf out of Lee Kuan Yew's book. He's probably going to be spun over the next 15 months as being 'indispensable' for the well-being of Malaysia, and in October 2003, a 'grateful' nation will bestow on him a 'Senior Statesman' title with the power to exercise a veto whenever he wishes to do so.

In short: "You take the workload, Pak Lah. I'll keep the power."

Will Pak Lah (Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) object? Are you kidding me? Without Mahathir's 'protection', he wouldn't last a year against the clamour to release Anwar Ibrahim that is sure to follow the exit of Mahathir.

There is no Malay leader with the stature to stem the latent support for Anwar other than Mahathir.

And neither would Pak Lah be able to handle the Umno heavyweights waiting in the wings for Mahathir to bid farewell. Watch for the unresolved Musa-Razaleigh tussle to be taken up again.

Finally, I would suggest keeping an eye on the career paths of the Mahathir boys. By October 2003, we may have a Mahathir Junior being groomed to take over down the road from Pak Lah, à ala Lee Hsien-Loong and Goh Chok Tong.