The presidents of two Barisan Nasional (BN) Dayak-based parties - Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) - held a secret meeting last night over their merger proposal.

Sources told malaysiakini today that SPDP's William Mawan and PRS' Dr James Masing met at the residence of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) senior vice-president Adenan Satem ( left ) in Santubong, about 20 km from Kuching.

Also present was Deputy Foreign Minister and MP for Julai Joseph Salang.

Salang, the former deputy president of the now defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), had recently announced that he would join the new party after the SPDP-PRS merger.

According to the sources, the meeting which lasted till after midnight, was held at Adenan's request. They described the PBB leader's role in the talks as a facilitator.

It is learnt that Adenan told Mawan ( left ) and Masing ( right ) to end their quarrels over petty issues and work towards the merger.

"(Sarawak chief minister and state BN chief ) Abdul Taib Mahmud was aware of the meeting," said the sources.

Adenan is also understood to have said that he had invited Salang to the meeting as he supported the merger of the two parties and would join the new party.

He told Mawan and Masing that Salang should be given a key role in the new set-up. Two other partyless parliamentarians Aaron Dagang and Jawah Gerang were expected to join as well.

Best approach

Contacted today, Salang confirmed that he was present at the meeting.

Asked whether the merger would take place before the next state elections, he said this would depend on the election date.

It would take time to establish the legal framework of a new party or to amend the constitution of a political party if the intention is to use one of the existing parties as a new vehicle, he added.

The best approach to such a merger, according to Salang, was through consensus building.

PRS deputy president Sng Chee Hua, when contacted, told malaysiakini that he had just been informed about the meeting by Mawan.

"Merger is a good thing but I hope the interest of the Chinese members will be taken care off otherwise there can be no merger," he added.

Sng, a former elected representative, said he would propose at the PRS supreme council meeting on Feb 4 that a committee be formed to negotiate with SPDP on the terms and conditions of the merger.