The headquarters of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) will not release the boxes containing annual returns of branches now in its custody to unrelated individuals, but o­nly to the party branches themselves, according to a party spokesperson.

Last week several Youth members removed without official clearance o­ne of the seven boxes containing the annual returns of 177 branches.

The remaining six metal boxes - all locked and sealed - are now being kept in a strongroom at the party headquarters o­n Jalan Wan Alwi.

The seven boxes were submitted o­n March 31 by the faction supporting information chief Dr James Masing and vice-president Sng Chee Hua for the top two posts in the forthcoming party election.

However, since the deadline for the annual returns was extended, they have been demanding for the 'return' of the boxes.

The Youth members who took away o­ne of the boxes last week were also from the Masing-Sng faction.

'Chaotic'

When contacted today, the party spokesperson said it would be replying to a letter from the Masing-Sng faction seeking the return of the remaining boxes.

The party will explain that it is not going to release the boxes to unrelated individuals but o­nly directly to the branches concerned.

"Even when individuals were to come forward claiming to represent branches, we'd have to ascertain their status," he added.

"We don't want branches to simply do things this way - submit their returns and then take them back. Otherwise the whole party will be chaotic."

The incident has raised curiosity as to why the group is anxious to seek the return of the locked and sealed boxes whose submission has been acknowledged in writing by the headquarters.

The faction earlier rejected the party secretary-general's decision to extend the deadline for submitting the returns from March 31 to May 15.

But under the party constitution, the secretary-general has the right to extend the deadline for such

submission if there are good and legitimate reasons for doing so.

According to Masing-Sng alliance, the boxes contain resolutions from branches expressing their intention to nominate PBDS' their candidates for the party's top leadership posts at the forthcoming triennial delegates conference.

Masing and Sng are giving deputy president Daniel Tajem and treasurer Joseph Salang Gandum a run for the posts of president and deputy president, respectively.

Meanwhile, a senior party leader Paul Kadang told malaysiakini that up to now more than 90 percent of some 253 branches o­n the headquarters' official records had already held their annual general meetings.

"We see no problem in getting all to submit their returns before the deadline," he added.

This is in preparation for the triennial delegates conference - where party elections will be held - now thought likely to take place in early August, 2003.

Party split

The Masing-Sng faction has been campaigning hard for the last few months and claims to have the support of 177 branches whose annual returns are in the controversial sealed boxes. There are 206 branches in all.

Malaysiakini

also learnt that top federal Barisan Nasional leaders have been following recent

developments within the party closely.

According to o­ne reliable source, the federal BN leadership has "impressed o­n the state BN leadership to ensure that things remain stable even within a small party like PBDS".

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini's Sarawak correspondent.