Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) faction leader Dr James Masing has described the sacking of 12 of his key supporters from the party yesterday as an "illegal and hostile move."

In his brief reaction to the latest development within the party, he also described the move as "unproductive and unwise."

Assistant Tourism Minister Dublin Unting described the sacking of the 12, including himself and suspended vice president Sng Chee Hua, as "nothing more than a publicity stunt that will have no effect at all on any positions."

Unting, also former party secretary-general, told malaysiakini today that the party's supreme council, which met yesterday to make the decision, has no power other than to assist in organising the party elections.

News of the sacking, announced by the party's vice-president and disciplinary committee chairperson Gabriel Adit after a supreme council (SC) meeting chaired by party president Daniel Tajem, was highlighted in local newspapers and carried over Radio Malaysia Sarawak as well as national television stations.

There has been no reaction yet from leaders of component parties in the Barisan Nasional.

Chief Minister and state BN chairperson Abdul Taib Mahmud is away accompanying Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on his visit to China.

Overwhelming evidence

According to Adit, who is also Ngemah state assemblyperson, both Sng and Unting were sacked for what the supreme council said was overwhelming evidence that they openly helped and campaigned for the independent candidates in Julau and Lubok Antu in the March general election.

One of the independent candidates Josephine Mawat (photo left) who stood in Jualau was also among the remaining 10 sacked members who put their names forward for the registration of the new political party Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS). The application for registration has since been withdrawn.

How the latest development will affect plans to hold the party elections or triennial delegates conference (TDC) on October 9-10 cannot be immediately ascertained.

BN secretary-general Khalil Yaacob who has been at the heart of mediation efforts to try and resolve the leadership crisis through a fresh party polls said recently that the PBDS supreme council's disciplinary action against the 12 in April was "null and void."

But the Tajem faction apparently viewed the matter differently, with Adit trying to justify the action as perfectly within the powers of the SC and in the best interest of the party and the BN.

According to observers, however, the move could complicate the mediation efforts, forcing the BN leadership to step in again, perhaps to put an end to the bickering within the party, especially when state elections may be held sooner than expected.

Changes at the top

There has been even on-going talk of possible changes at the top leadership in the state in the state after September this year, although most observers say this may be just rumours.

The recent transfer of one of Taib's Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Sarawak (PBB) senior leader from the state to a federal ministerial position has sparked speculation of such a plan for a state leadership change in the near future.

Names of possible successors, including some dark-horses, have been bandied around in kampungs and coffee-shops.

However, none of the state top leaders has made any public comments to give any credence to such talks.

Meanwhile, according to informed sources, Taib may not carry out any minor cabinet reshuffle to fill some positions left vacant either by the promotion or impending resignation of state ministers. He announced after March elections that he would make some changes to his cabinet within six months.

The sources said one of the reasons for this is the unsettled problems within PBDS. The two factions in the party have nominated their own candidates for ministerial appointments to the chief minister.