Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today dropped a big hint to Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud: ‘Learn from history' in deciding when to step down.

In his trademark cryptic style, Mahathir avoided giving a direct answer to whether or not Taib should stay, preferring to make a reference to losses the BN suffered as a result of state leaders refusing to quit.

"There was one MB who insisted he should continue, and lost the whole state. If we learn from history, we won't do it again," he said at a press conference after launching an Islamic tourism conference.

Mahathir did not specify the menteri besar he was referring to, though he could have been pointing at Wan Mokhtar Ahmad, who helmed Terengganu from 1974 till 1999.

PAS took the state in the 1999 general election, with its current president Abdul Hadi Awang installed as menteri besar.

Mahathir was less inclined to comment on the possible outcome of the Saturday's Sarawak state election, simply shrugging when asked about the possibility that Pakatan could deny BN a two-thirds majority.

"I think BN can win," was all he volunteered, despite several questions posed to him.

On last night's announcement by self-exiled blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin on his statutory declaration (SD) made in 2008, Mahathir reprimanded Raja Petra, or RPK as he is widely known, for making the allegations in the first place.

Mahathir implied that Raja Petra had been irresponsible in publishing the allegations without verifying their authenticity.

"I am a blogger myself... if people don't believe us, then what's the point of blogging?" he said.

In an interview telecast by TV3 and a few other channels last night, RPK ( right ) said he had never implicated Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor in the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, and that his SD was based on information given by people in whom he no longer believed.

In the interview given exclusively to TV3 in Perth, Australia, RPK said the information was fed to him by people who were "connected" to a few politicians, including PKR de facto chief Anwar Ibrahim.

He also said that the individuals had pressured him to file his SD, with the aim of preventing Najib - who was then deputy prime minister - from taking over from then Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

'Single most potent weapon against BN'

Meanwhile, DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang, taking the lead from Mahathir’s veiled comment on Taib’s insistence to stay on as the chief minister, pondered if the former prime minister’s prediction would come true.

“There can be no doubt that the question of getting Taib to step down as chief minister is the single most potent weapon and burning issue against the BN in the 10th Sarawak state election,” said Lim in a statement today.

It is the “uniting” force of the locals “regardless of race or religion”, he stressed, as the people are no longer convinced in the administration’s “accountability, transparency and good governance”.

Referring to numerous allegations of ill-gotten wealth against Taib, Lim labelled him as BN’s “Achilles heel” and there is nothing Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak can do to get the chief minister to step down.

DAP, which is contesting in 15 urban seats, is optimistic about their chances. However, Lim warned candidates not to waver until “victory is assured” after the polls on Saturday.