Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) faction leader Dr James Masing may have thwarted his own gesture to reach possible compromise over candidates with rival and president Daniel Tajem, ahead of the Oct 9-10 party polls.

Even before the Tajem faction can respond to what is being seen as Masing's initiative over the leadership line-up, the latter has blasted Tajem as being "insincere".

This is because Tajem and his supporters did not invite elected representative John Sikie, who is aligned to Masing, to a party function held in Kakus.

In a front page report, the Borneo Post quoted Masing as telling Tajem to 'Walk the talk, Mr President'.

This was apparent reference to Tajem's statement that he was encouraging younger leaders from both parties to mix because the party's future depends on them.

Masing himself had reacted to the statement by describing it as "encouraging" and saying it should be appreciated because it comes from a party elder.

More functions

A Tajem faction leader told malaysiakini that Masing should not expect his supporters to be invited to functions held by the rival group, as much as he would not expect their attendance at his ongoing roadshow ahead of the triennial delegates conference (TDC).

Both factions are visiting delegates and members at various places in Sarawak for the same reason - to campaign ahead of the TDC which the top Barisan Nasional leadership has ordered as a condition for reinstating PBDS after it was de-registered.

They are focusing on the delegates who were included in the list used in 2000.

The Masing faction is meeting delegates from Sri Aman on Saturday, while the headquarters will hold a PBDS Wanita gathering on Sunday, also in Sri Aman, as part of the party's 20th anniversary celebrations.

Masing has repeatedly indicated that, although he was defeated by the same delegates for the post of deputy president against then incumbent Tajem in 2000, he is not afraid of subjecting himself to them come October.

While his faction is prepared for the worst, he said it is important to keep the party intact and a useful member of BN.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini 's Sarawak-based stringer.