The beleaguered Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) will know by early next week whether its party elections will proceed as scheduled on Oct 9 or be postponed.

It may be deferred due to a possible compromise to resolve the leadership dispute in the Barisan Nasional (BN) component party, or to allow for preparations to continue for its long-overdue Triennial Delegates Conference (TDC).

"The matter seems to be out of the party's hands now with third-party involvement initiated by the top leadership in BN," said a source today.

The matter now rests in the hands of Prime Minister and BN Chairperson Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (photo, right), who will return this weekend from a visit to the United Kingdom.

"By Monday, I believe the party will know what the real situation will be," said the source.

Previously, malaysiakini reported about a possible last-minute deal that could see Daniel Tajem retained as president and his rival Dr James Masing being made his deputy and the supreme council seats being distributed evenly between the two factions.

When quizzed however, leaders from both factions claimed to be in the dark over the existence of such a compromise.

Only solution

However, Masing, was quoted in the Borneo Post today as saying that the deal could be in the midst of being worked out at the higher levels of BN.

Prior to this, well-informed sources said such a deal by the top BN leadership appeared to be only a temporary remedy since Abdullah publicly has stated that he wanted the party to remain intact and continue as a component of BN.

The sources said if the deal could be agreed to by both factions, then the delegates to the party elections would only be required to endorse the agreed line-up without any contest.

Masing (photo, right) said as far as he was concerned, this was not a 'normal triennial delegates' as its singular purpose is to elect leaders only.

"And I do not think there will be a presidential address or a secretary-general's report and a treasurer-general's report and so on," he was quoted as saying by the Borneo Post.

Another hint

Meanwhile, at a forum in Miri on Tuesday, Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud made an indirect reference to the problem-ridden PBDS, saying he expected consultation within the party to bring some sort of resolution to the crisis.

"(Otherwise) I will have an answer for it (the crisis),"added Abdul Taib, (photo, left) who also helms the state BN.

These further hinted to high-level backroom decisions is in the making, with the premier having the final say.

Sources also said that Abdullah has requested for 'another report' from Sarawak and this is expected to include a proposal on how the PBDS issue could be resolved promptly.

The Tajem faction has expressed reservations over BN's proposal to use the previous TDC delegates list for the upcoming meet as well, raising related legal and constitutional issues.

Masing, on the other hand, has urged the party to forego normal procedures required under its constitution and allow delegates to straightaway elect new leaders.

This is in effect calling for the party constitution to be suspended or held in abeyance.

"But if they do this, all it will take is for two members of the party to challenge the legitimacy of the polls in court," said an independent observer when commenting on this.

"Can they stop anyone from doing that?" he asked.