KUCHING, April 4 — Tan Sri Taib Mahmud claimed today he was being pressured to quit by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) because they saw him as an obstacle to their seizing Sarawak from Barisan Nasional (BN) rule.

The Sarawak chief minister, who came to power in 1981, had announced he would retire from his post after the state’s election on April 16.

However, his lack of a firm deadline drew criticism from PR lawmakers, who accused Taib of engineering an extension to his three-decade rule by claiming that he will soon leave.

DAP’s Lim Kit Siang pointed out that Taib had been unsuccessful in finding a successor after 30 years and was unlikely to pull one out of the hat at such short notice.

None of Taib’s previously named successors — Tan Sri Adenan Satem, Datuk Seri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg and Datuk Seri Effendi Norwawi — has managed to last the distance.

Since the trio, the chief minister has not openly anointed an heir to his presidency of the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the lynchpin of the Sarawak BN.

Late last month, a senior Sarawak BN leader had endorsed Taib’s defence of his Balingian seat, saying the long-serving chief minister could still be an asset to the ruling coalition.

“Despite allegations against him, I don’t know if the next can be better than him. I’d rather the devil I know,” said Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum.

Today, Taib said his as-yet unidentified successor would further his legacy in Sarawak and fulfil the pledges he made as its chief minister.

He said this after a brief tour of Kampung Tellian Tengah in Mukah, where he also announced RM2.5 million in allocations for various projects there and in Balingian