In a shock move, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dr James Masing has today sacked six party leaders, including a state assistant minister from the party's supreme council, less than a week after the state election.

Using his powers as president under the party constitution, it is believed he made the move to appoint his own men to wrest control of the party's 33-member supreme council from his deputy, Sng Chee Hua.

There has been a serious falling out between the party's No 1 and No 2 for sometime.

Among the six were secretary-general Sidi Munan, treasurer-general Clement Eddy, information chief Wilfred Nissom, deputy secretary-general Larry Sng, who was re-appointed state assistant minister earlier today, deputy publicity chief Ernest Chua and Sng Chee Beng, who is Sng's brother.

Except for Nissom, who is a political secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, the rest are known as allies of Sng, who until this evening controlled at least 18 of the party's 33-member supreme council.

By appointing his own men to the party's supreme council, Masing will control at least 22 members against Sng's 11 in the SC.

Move unconstitutional

Munan, who confirmed that he and the others had received the letters of termination, told malaysiakini this evening that the president's move was unconstitutional. "We do not recognise the letters of termination."

He said those aligned to the deputy president would hold a meeting tomorrow morning to discuss the latest development in the party.

Meanwhile, Masing is understood to have appointed his men as replacements. They include Nissom and the newly-elected Balai Ringin state assemblyperson, Snowdan Lawan.

Snowdan told malaysiakini at the PRS' official headquarters in Kuching that someone from the Masing camp informed him verbally of his new appointment to the supreme council.

Informed sources said Masing and Sng had a serious falling out, and in the recent state election, Sng had accused Masing of undermining his son and the Pelagus incumbent Larry Sng by tacitly supporting an Independent candidate.

"Sng has solid evidence to back up his claim, and Masing's move in removing the appointed SC members was partly a pre-emptive move, in the event his rival decide to push for either a motion of no confidence or a motion to reprimand him, or even expel him from the party," the sources added.

One party, two headquarters

When contacted tonight, Nissom told malaysiakini that 'what happened has to happen' and that Masing must be allowed to run the party with his own team.

He said the sacked secretary-general Munan had been sending out notices without consulting the party president. "The party cannot work in this way."

Since the beginning of the year, the party has been put in an embarrassing situation having two party headquarters in Kuching - one in Pending and the other in Green Heights, each controlled by rival factions. The one in Green Heights is registered with the Registrar of Societies.

Political observers said the party seems certain to be heading for the rocks less than two years after it was formed after breaking away from Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS).

In the just-concluded state elections, PRS a member of the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition - contested nine seats and lost one seat (Ngemah) to Independent Gabriel Adit Demong. It nearly lost in Belaga.