Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud today said that he would need to go through "a few more steps" before retiring from his position.

He said among the things that he needed to do was to seek an audience with the Sarawak head of state, Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Barieng to inform the latter of his intention to step down as Chief Minister.

"I've got to do things in proper sequence," he told reporters after attending a meeting of the Sarawak Barisan Nasional leaders at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters, here.

Taib is also the PBB president and state Barisan Nasional chairman.

Asked whether he would step down by the end of this month, Taib replied: "Yeah...I think so...so that I get a full salary for February."