The Sng group in PRS received a boost yesterday when the partyless Lubok Antu MP Jawah Gerang was officially welcomed into the party as a member although he was not present.

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Office Larry Sng chaired his first supreme council meeting at the party's registered headquarters in Green Heights, Kuching. It was attended by 27 out of the 28 supreme council members.

The meeting unanimously approved the application for membership from Jawah, formerly of the defunct PBDS. Jawah was not present as he is believed to be away in Florida, USA.

Jawah was informally welcomed into the Sng group at a gathering in Sng's private residence in Jalan Tun Jugah last week.

Two other partyless MPs from the former PBDS have yet to join. They are Deputy Foreign Minister and Julau MP Joseph Salang and MP for Kanowit Aaron Dagang.

With Jawah joining the Sng faction, the group now has three elected representatives, including Larry, the state assemblyperson for Pelagus, and the MP for Sri Aman Jimmy Donald, on their side.

"We're confident when the picture is clearer that a few more elected reps will be joining us," a leader of the Sng faction said.

The Masing faction has eight elected representatives - two MPs, Joseph Entulu (Tamin) and Billy Abit (Hulu Rajang) and six state assemblypersons, including Masing, the state representative for Balleh.

ROS decision soon

Meanwhile, the Registrar of Societies (ROS) is expected to make a decision soon on which of the two rival presidents and the supreme councils are 'legitimate'.

According to the Sng group, they will be submitting the full reports of the proceedings of their first triennial delegates conference held on March 30 together with the list of new office-bearers for 2007-2010 to the ROS within a day or two.

The ROS has written to the party to ask for a 'true' list of the party's office-bearers.

The faction led by Dr James Masing, a senior state minister, held their TDC in Sibu on Dec 2 last year and elected Masing as president and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Joseph Entulu as his deputy.

It submitted its own list of office-bearers on Dec 6 to the ROS.