Barisan Nasional's maverick MP Jewah Gerang has landed himself in hot soup - he has been accused by Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu of being anti-BN and has called for his expulsion.

But Jewah (left) shot back at his accuser, claiming that Jabu and some others had backed the independent candidate who stood against him in Lubok Antu in the 2004 general election.

Jabu had accused the five-term Lubok Antu MP elected on a BN-PBDS ticket of not co-operating with other BN elected representatives in his area.

Jewah has also been seen going round asking his supporters in the predominantly-Iban state seat of Batang Ai to vote Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC) pro tem president Nicholas Bawin, he claimed.

The deputy chief minister first brought up Jewah's name in public in non-endearing terms during a water sports festival in Batang Ai several weeks ago, for associating himself with opposition politicians campaigning against the incumbent state assistant minister Dublin Unting in Batang Ai.

He had made an official complaint against the maverick MP at a BN supreme council meeting recently, saying Jewah had aligned himself with opposition politics and should, therefore, be expelled.

Jabu behind Independent?

Dublin, who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) vice president had also complained to state BN secretary-general Ambrose Blikau.

Jabu (left) was said to have criticised Jewah again during a Lubok Antu gathering last weekend to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) which he heads as chairperson.

Contacted today, Jewah told malaysiakini, "the people who are complaining against me are the very ones who supported the Independent candidate William Nyalau in the last parliamentary elections against me in Lubok Antu."

He claimed Jabu was among those who supported the Independent. "I have solid proof and evidence. He is the one who should instead be expelled from the BN for working against the BN," Jewah said.

Jewah, formerly of PBDS and one of the BN's three partyless elected representatives (the other two are Deputy Foreign Minister and Julau MP Joseph Salang and Kanowit MP Aaron Dagang), said he and PBDS had made an official complaint to the BN leadership against certain BN individuals, including Dublin, furnished with evidence, including photographs and video, for working against BN's interest.

Lubok Antu and Kanowit are two parliamentary seats that the state BN had expected might fall to Independents in the last elections.

Prepared for any consequences

Supporters close to Jewah said the MP is now prepared for any consequences, including being expelled from the BN, for aligning himself with a group said to be loyal supporters of the now defunct PBDS who are going to challenge the BN in most of the predominantly Dayak seats in the state elections due any time this year.

He is said to wield considerable influence among voters in Batang Ai, which is part of his parliamentary constituency. It has more than 8,000 voters, and Jewah secured about 5000 votes in the last elections.