Fresh trouble brews in PBDS

This follows the announcement by party leader Leo Moggie last week that he had finally decided to step down as president

He said he wanted to let someone, who enjoys a 'good rapport with the state and Barisan Nasional leadership', take over his place.

Apart from this, Moggie gave no indication of who would be his successor.

Moggie, who is also minister of energy, telecommunications and multimedia, was quoted by a Sarawak English tabloid, Malaysian Today, as saying he was confident the party, formed from a splinter group that broke away from the Sarawak National Party in the1980s, would continue to thrive even without him at the helm.

But what Moggie - considered a political survivor in the sometimes turbulent politics of Sarawak - didn't reckon after making the statement, was the immediate reaction from some party divisions.

The Miri division, headed by a supreme council member Richard Will regarded as an outspoken Iban politician, called a meeting on Friday (Jan 25), and passed a resolution urging PBDS members to respect Moggie's decision to step down.

He was reported as saying Moggie had already contributed much to the party and should be allowed to step down now.

'Fooling us'

Richard when contacted by malaysiakini said the Miri division committee members unanimously agreed that Moggie should step down."He has been fooling us for a long time, and it's time that he quits," he added.

Richard claimed that Moggie's game plan - which he used in the last triennial delegates conference - was discovered by some senior party leaders.

In the last party elections, Moggie allowed a contest between the then incumbent deputy president Daniel Tajem and the then vice-president Dr James Masing for the post of deputy president.

(Masing lost the contest and was later appointed publicity chief by Moggie).

Although Tajem emerged as winner, the battle royale for the post, according to seasoned politicians, was Moggie's way of killing Tajem politically which he succeeded.

Masing might have lost that duel for the party's No 2 post but Moggie brought him back as publicity chief and Masing got to keep his state cabinet post.

At last week's post-meeting dinner near Kuching, after Moggie made the 'I-shall-quit' announcement, the majority of the party's supreme council members were not favourably disposed to James Masing - who is state minister of social development and urbanisation and close to Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud - taking over as party president.

'This is what I believe he (Moggie) wanted to hear from the supreme council members because he apparently has someone else in mind,'Richard said.

One such person is Joseph Salang, an Iban businessman who appears to be neutral. He is also a director of Telekom Malaysia and a member of parliament for Julau.

Well-informed sources said it makes sense for Moggie to want someone like Salang, who served as a senior bank officer before joining politics, to take over the party leadership.

"Moggie probably doesn't have that much faith in Masing, although he has a good rapport with the state and BN leadership.

"While Salang has the resources to fight the elections and for whatever post he wants in the party," the sources said.

Richard told malaysiakini that he expects his division's resolution urging party members to respect Moggie's decision to step down to trigger a chain reaction.

He disclosed that an important division - Pelagus(Kapit) - will pass a similar resolution.

Smart politician

If, as some sources suggest, the game is up for Moggie and the erstwhile warring factions in PBDS ( the Tajem and Masing groups), will Moggie still stick to his decision not to seek re-nomination next year?

"I cannot say yes or no to that. Moggie is a very smart politician. He wants to quit when he is at his pinnacle ,that is when he is not being challenged by anyone and when he thinks his popularity is at its height," said Richard.

But, he added, that there other considerations, and that Salang to Moggie is perhaps the best choice to take over the party leadership.

But what happens if Tajem, although beaten but still not considered out, and Masing, a seemingly powerful party leader with close connections to Taib, should decide to close ranks?

Another source said: 'That could spell trouble for Moggie. He may not see his man or men positioned in the places he wants them to be and may find some of his interests threatened as a result."

But political observers generally agree that Moggie is a seasoned politician who would have seen all this coming when he announced his decision not to contest for the president's post next year.

However, over the next few weeks many of his erstwhile supporters within the party are likely to meet and exert pressure in such a way that he might not have a chance to change his mind about finally stepping down as party president.

Sources said an early exit could mean Tajem, the present deputy president, taking over as acting president in a move that could possibly even have the support of Masing and his group.