Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak's (PBDS) credentials committee - which scrutinises party election matters - defended its action in not approving the branches which purportedly backed one of the key factions in the Dayak-based party.

In a press statement today, committee chairperson Dr Jawie Masing said: "In view of the various insinuations, misleading and sometimes preposterous statements made by certain quarters, I feel compelled to come out of reticence and make the clarifications."

"First, we have followed the PBDS constitution to the letter. One of its fundamental requirements is that annual returns of branches be submitted to the secretary-general (article XV Clause 9).

"The rationale for this is obvious, that is, to enable the party headquarters to vet and verify the returns to ensure they are proper returns (not manufactured ones) submitted by proper officials and from properly registered branches," he added.

He explained that this was the reason why they could not consider returns sealed and locked in boxes and those shrouded in secrecy to have been properly submitted to the secretary-general.

This led to the branches concerned becoming ineligible to participate in the recent triennial delegates conference (TDC).

Preposterous request

According to Jawie, the annual returns of 181 - out of the total 253 registered branches - were properly submitted.

"Having vetted them we found 153 were eligible. The remaining were ruled ineligible for one reason or another, namely, late registration, non-existence of files, non-submission and non-registration.

"These do not include those submitted in sealed boxes, which remained unopened. The fact that 28 branches were disqualified manifests that the credentials committee strictly adhered to the constitution without favouring any particular group," he stressed.

Jawie said based on recent statements it was obvious that "certain quarters want us to recognise those returns, in other words, to waive the constitutional requirement and bend the rules to favour those who have been in contempt of proper procedures".

"Aside from being preposterous, that would cause an injustice to those other branches, which have faithfully abided by party procedures. That, of course, we cannot allow to happen."

Jawie said the credentials committee would not condone breaches of constitutional requirements to benefit those in breach and to the disadvantage of those who have faithfully complied with procedures.

"Therefore, we believe what we have done is only right and fair and is indeed in compliance with the constitution. But certain quarters, it seems, want us to be unfair to be fair."

Conscience clear

He said once the committee established which were the eligible branches, it delivered the nomination papers to all of the duly accredited branches.

"Ineligible branches have no business and no right to receive the nomination papers," he said, adding that none of the eligible branches were deprived of the right of nominations.

He said that eligible branches were notified of the nomination process and it was not shrouded in secrecy.

"Of course, as I have stated on July 11, we do not have to tell the whole world that the party was conducting nominations," added the committee chairperson.

Jawie also stressed that the committee would not budge from its position.

"We will stick to our ground. If we were to heed the preposterous call that we should ignore the constitutional provision to allow the perpetrators of breach to participate in the TDC, we would be undertaking the risk that our actions be declared illegal, null and void."

"That we are not prepared to do. Our conscience is, therefore, clear," he said.

Seven sealed boxes

Jawie said the victors who emerge from the nomination process, would indeed be victors according to the rules and in compliance with the party constitution.

"None, I think, can interfere with that. We have no reason to doubt that we have followed the constitution. We are confident that the supreme council will endorse our actions."

Presidential aspirant Dr James Masing (photo, left) had accused the committee of wrongdoing when his rival Daniel Tajem (photo, right) was elected as president unopposed.

The Masing faction has submitted seven boxes - locked and sealed to the headquarters on March 31 which hold the annual returns of some 177 branches that are reportedly aligned to the faction.

These branches were rejected by the credentials committee allowing the faction aligned to the incumbent president a walkover victory.