The Registrar of Societies (ROS) has spoken - it was wrong for Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dr James Masing to sack the party's six principal office-bearers in the supreme council on May 25 this year.

He has breached the rule of natural justice, said the ROS in a show-cause letter sent to the party yesterday.

PRS has 30 days to respond to the letter on why it should not be de-registered.

The powerful ROS found Masing had breach the rule of natural justice by not giving the six PRS leaders show-cause letters.

The six were secretary-general Sidi Munan, deputy secretary-general and state Assistant Minister Larry Sng, treasurer-general Clement Eddy, deputy secretary-general Sng Chee Beng, information chief Wilfred Nissom and deputy information chief Ernest Chua.

Except for Nissom, who is also a political secretary to the chief minister, the rest are all aligned to PRS deputy president and Masing's arch-rival Sng Chee Hua. The group called a supreme council meeting on June 14 and censured Masing for his action.

Can it avoid deregistration?

Chua told reporters today that the ROS letter was addressed to the party's secretary-general at its registered headquarters in Green Heights with copies to Masing, Sng and Clement.

Sng told a press conference this morning that it was now clear Masing had acted wrongly in sacking the six principal office-bearers, but implied that if a timely and satisfactory reply was given by the party, the issue of de-registration could be avoided.

He asked the media to approach Masing for a full disclosure of the contents of the letter from the ROS.

This morning, about 290 delegates from 22 divisions attended the party's EDC called by the Sng faction at a seaside resort outside Kuching.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Masing group said the party president is expected to call a meeting of his own supporters on his return from Sibu tomorrow.