The Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) faction led by state minister Dr James Masing appeared to have stopped pursuing the idea of a fresh poll in favour of attempts from within now to patch up differences to resolve the party leadership dispute.

This was the indication given by Dr Masing at a press conference after a big gathering of party members and supporters at the Sibu Town Square.

The crowd, estimated at between 6,000 and 10,000, heard hard-hitting speeches by the Masing faction leaders directed especially at former party chief and federal minister Leo Moggie and the other PBDS faction deputy leader Joseph Salang.

Many had also been attracted by the appearance of popular TV3 Senario comedians who gave a performance before the speeches were delivered. Those who spoke included Masing, his deputy Sng Chee Hua and Youth chief Joseph Entulu, an assistant minister.

Masing told reporters that he had to reply to Moggie whom he claimed had called him names and was using below-the-belt tactics against him in an earlier gathering of their own at a longhouse in Kanowit.

Outside interference

Masing claimed that the problems within PBDS would have been resolved if it had not been for third party or outside interference, but did not elaborate, other than to accuse his opponents of inviting outsiders to attend their triennial delegates conference in Santubong and the Kanowit longhouse gathering.

The other faction led by Daniel Tajem had denied the allegations, accusing Masing of talking nonsense.

Masing said his faction was no longer calling for fresh polls to resolve the problem and would leave it to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to determine the party's future adding that the two factions should try and patch up their differences from within.

Malaysiakini understands that in their separate meetings with Sarawak Chief Minister and state Barisan Nasional chairperson Abdul Taib Mahmud, the advice given to both was to try and work together as a team.

The chief minister had also advised both factions to tone down their rhetoric and find a way out of the party crisis while waiting for the announcement from the ROS.

Both factions have been anxiously waiting for the ROS to come out with a decision on which of the two factions is the legitimate party leadership.

Malaysiakini understands that the ROS has already conveyed his decision to Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also Home Affairs Minister, but who has yet to make it known publicly.

Masing also said that the present party crisis had led to a situation where the PBDS has become a nobody's child with both factions not even being recognised by the BN.

Causes and problems

Meanwhile, Deputy Home Minister Zainal Abidin Din indicated to reporters in Kuching today that it might still be a long while before the ROS would come out with a decision on the PBDS issue.

Up to this point of time, according to him, the ROS has not been able to ascertain the cause(s) of the problems/complaints within PBDS.

"The ROS is still trying to identifying the cause(s) of the complaints/problems," he said, adding that there is a need even to go back to some of the decisions taken at the party's supreme council meeting.

The Masing faction has complained that the Tajem faction failed to observe all rules and procedures of the party's constitution and the Societies Act on matters connected with holding the recent party nominations and elections. The Tajem faction denied any of the allegations, and had already supported this with their written arguments to the ROS.