Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has staked a claim for the remaining seats presently held by the five partyless elected representatives of the now defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), in anticipation of state elections early next year.

But the claim, voiced publicly this week by PRS Youth chief Mong Dagang and information chief Wilfred Nissom, has been rejected by former PBDS secretary-general Stanley Ajang.

He said it was left best to the chief minister and state BN leader Abdul Taib Mahmud to decide on the matter.

Taib's Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) divisional head in Belaga Senator George Adam said earlier this week that PRS could not claim the Belaga state seat because it was 'loaned' to PBDS in the first place by PBB. Ajang (right) is the incumbent state assemblyperson for Belaga.

Ajang, who together with four others, including Deputy Foreign Minister Joseph Salang, the Julau member of Parliament, have applied to join PBB. However, the party has yet to make a decision on the joint application.

Officially, George said he knew nothing of such an application to PBB, adding that in the case of Ajang his application to join PBB would have to go through the division which he (George) heads in Belaga.

PBB senior vice-president Adenan Satem, the man thought likely to be Taib's successor as chief minister when he retires, said recently PBB would make its decision on the partyless elected representatives only before the next state polls.

The statement has rattled not only the partyless five from the now defunct PBDS but also others, including PRS leaders, because of other implications, such as the party admission into BN which is still an outstanding issue.

Speculation is that Taib will call for state polls in April next year, although the term of the present state assembly ends only in November.

Another Dayak party?

Ajang said in a statement that it was best left to the chief minister to decide on the allocation of the three parliamentary and two state assembly seats.

Although PRS top leaders, like its president Dr James Masing, have so far said little publicly on the matter, the recent statement from its youth chief may provoke reactions from other parties, especially the Sarawak United People's Party (Supp) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP). Both Supp and SPDP are said to be interested in taking in the partyless five.

At the same time, there are reports in some Chinese newspapers about possible moves by certain individuals to form a new Dayak-based party. But it is not known who are behind such a move.

Salang and his group has been quoted by local newspaper reports as saying they were not in any way involved and would not want to be involved as "we feel it would further erode the political strength of the Dayaks."

The Dayaks comprising Bidayuh, Iban and Orang Ulu who form nearly half of Sarawak's 2.2 million population are represented in various political parties -- PBB, Supp, SPDP , PRS, State Reform Party (Star) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

The PRS' move to claim the seats is believed to be connected with reports that the five partyless elected representatives - Salang (Julau), Jawah Gerang (MP for Lubok Antu), Aaron Dagang (MP for Kanowit), Gabriel Adit (Ngemah state assemblyperson) and Ajang - may all move to SPDP if PBB should turn them all down.

"You can say they are giving notice to other parties that they could also claim the five seats too," a political analyst told malaysiakini.