The Masing-Sng faction has laid a conditional offer for talks with its rival group in Parti Bansa Sarawak (PBDS) to try and bring an end to the long-drawn internal crisis.

Faction leader Dr James Masing told malaysiakini in an exclusive interview tonight that "I don't mind talking (to them) provided we use new rules. Third parties must come in, assist us (resolve the problems in the party)."

He made it explicitly clear during the interview in his house in Kuching that "by new rules there will have to be fresh elections, and that the list of branches should be one approved by the Registrar of Societies."

"In cases where branches have duplicate sets of committees, if this cannot be agreed upon they should be dropped altogether from the list. There are about 70 such branches", Masing added.

The Masing faction claim that many branches were formed (by the rival faction) between March 31 and May15 this year without the required prior approval of the supreme council.

Leaving it to ROS

Masing, who is also state social development and urbanisation minister, said anything short of these rules, his group would rather leave it to the ROS to decide on complaints alleging non-compliance with provisions in party constitution and the Societies Act on issues concerning the formation of party branches and the nomination of candidates for election to party posts.

"We will abide by whatever decision the ROS eventually makes," he stressed.

Masing said he expected the ROS to respond "very soon" on their complaints regarding what they alleged as constitutional irregularities in the run-up to the party elections.

Last week, Daniel Tajem and all his supporters were returned unopposed to all key posts, including the posts of president and deputy president, after nominations closed.

The Masing faction said this had been achieved after their opponents had deliberately left the branches supporting them out of the nomination process. They have raised the complaints with the ROS.

According to Masing, there are two main issues in the whole dispute - the issue of technicalities (party rules and Societies Act) and the issue of politics.

He said while technicalities is an issue, another issue is politics.

"There are a lot of complicated issues," he said."But I will put it simply by saying this: Let's go back to the people who voted Tajem and the rest in (during the 2000 party elections). Go back to the branches."

People must decide

"Politics is about people's choice. It is not actually about technicalities. Go back three years ago to the 2000 TDC list (of branches) that everybody then agreed with. By subjecting myself to the same branches, I may be voted out," Masing said.

Masing said:"They (the Tajem-Salang faction) want to gain control of the party. This is best settled by the people. They (the people) must be the final ones to decide."

He added:"They are shutting us out by using technical issues."

The former information chief who was once favoured by Leo Moggie, the immediate past president, as his successor warned that "if the crisis is not resolved I am very sorry for the party. "

"The ROS has one authority: You don't follow, you go (referring to any failure to abide by party constitution and the Societies Act)," he added.

What would happen next?

He replied:" Perahu karam (the boat sinks).You must swim. Not everyone can swim, though."

Masing and his faction leaders have in the past two weeks complained bitterly about being "unfairly done" at the hands of their opponents. "We've informed the ROS," he said.

Sri Aman member of parliament Jimmy Donald, who was present at the interview, cited as one example of how they had been "unfairly done" in the re-constituted composition of the credentials committee membership. "Tajem stuffed them with only his supporters."

"They should have retained the previously membership of the CC."

Bad faith

Another example, according to Jimmy, was in the extension of the deadline for submitting the minutes of branches from March 31 2003 to May 15,2003. "This was done in bad faith. This had never been discussed at the supreme council. The secretary-general failed in his duty. They just ignore us."

Meanwhile, Masing said that their road-shows to show the solidarity of the 175 branches supporting them would continue after the gathering in Bintulu on July 24.

"The next gathering will be in Miri on July 25 and another in Sibu on July 28," he added.

Observers say this is aimed at trying to keep branch officials away from the party's triennial delegates conference (TDC) scheduled in Kuching on July 26-27.

Moggie is expected to speak at the TDC opening within the confines of a closed family affair.

Malaysiakini understands that the Energy, Communications and Multimedia Minister "wants to set certain records straights" on many issues raised before and during the heat of the campaigning for control of the party by the two factions.