The prospects for any reconciliation of differences between the rival factions in crisis-stricken Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) appear remote, according to informed sources.

While there is talk that the 19-month-old party's beleaguered president and state land development minister Dr James Masing may agree to withdraw the termination letters he issued recently to six principal office-bearers, his rivals are already well advanced on his plans to hold an extraordinary delegates conference (EDC) to elect a new president to replace Masing.

Wilfred Nissom, the new secretary-general Masing appointed to replace the 'recalcitrant' Sidi Munan who is aligned to deputy president Sng Chee Hua, told malaysiakini he spoke to Masing last night about rumours that he (Masing) was going to revoke the termination letters sent to the six on May 25.

"Masing told me he is not going to do such things," said Nissom, who is also a political secretary to the chief minister.

A Masing close aide who asked not to be identified said that rather than do that, the party president and his supporters were prepared to go all the way to prove what was right, including sacrificing his own ministerial position and even if it meant the de-registration of the party.

Masing was quoted by an English daily today as saying the most important thing was the party's elected representatives who were elected by the people, which observers have taken to mean that Masing wants to save the YBs in his party rather than the party itself.

Of the PRS' eight state assemblypersons, at least six, including Masing himself, are in the Masing camp. Sng can always count on his own son Larry, the state assemblyperson for Pelagus and an assistant minister, for support and possibly the newly elected state assemblyperson for Balai Ringin Snowdan Lawan too.

Of the three party's three MPs, one is behind Sng - vice-president and Sri Aman MP Jimmy Donald.

Masing has told close aides that Sng can always take his YBs with him and leave the party.

Road of no return

When contacted, Sng, in an equally combative mood, said Masing could withdraw the letters of termination but it would not make any difference as the extra-ordinary delegates conference would go ahead.

"We are so advanced in the preparations (for the EDC)," he said, adding that all the 55 branches have already been notified and that the conference will be held sometime in August.

Although state BN component parties have adopted a hands-off policy on the internal crisis of PRS, it is, however, understood that the Chief Minister and state BN chief Abdul Taib Mahmud has asked the two factions to compromise.

Taib is away performing the umbrah in Mecca and is expected back in two weeks' time.

Meanwhile, state ROS director James Ho was quoted in local newspapers today as saying that no final decision has been made yet on whether the party will suffer the same fate as Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) which was de-registered in 2004.