Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) supreme council led by Dr James Masing today decided to recommend nine party members, including deputy president Sng Chee Hua, to a disciplinary committee for action to be taken for allegedly working against party interests.

At a meeting held in Miri this afternoon attended by all but five of the 32 SC members aligned to the Masing faction, it was also decided to send a letter appointing Pelagus state assemblyperson Larry Sng as party information chief.

In an immediate reaction, Sng, acting president of the other PRS faction, said he did not recognise the decision of Masing's committee, adding that their supreme council was not a proper and legitimate body to represent PRS.

The Masing-led SC members were elected at the triennial delegates conference held in Sibu on Dec 2. It was boycotted by Sng and his supporters.

Sng Junior, who is a state assistant minister, was not immediately available for comment.

Sng group to meet March

A spokesperson for the Masing group told malaysiakini by phone from Miri that the SC meeting also decided to unveil the party's new logo and flag at a statewide fund-raising dinner in Miri tonight.

The latest developments in PRS is part of the on-going leadership crisis within the party which started more than a year ago.

The Sng faction will hold their triennial delegates conference, possibly in Kuching, at the end of March to elect new office bearers.

The five SC members who were absent from today's SC meeting included vice president and state assistant minister Dublin Unting, Hulu Rajang MP Billy Abit and newly-elected state assemblyperson for Balai Ringin Snowdon Lawan.

The spokesperson explained that they could not fly this morning to Miri because of the six-hour closure of Kuching International Airport following a mishap on the runaway.

He added that they would be taking a later flight to attend the dinner at a local hotel. About 600 people are expected at the event.