A shouting match which erupted at the PBDS supreme council meeting in Kuching yesterday highlighted the deep division, and even animosity, among the two feuding factions in the party.

Although it was a close-door meeting, malaysiakini learnt from a SC member after the meeting that both sides were trading verbal blows when the issue of branches were discussed.

Asked o­n the shouting match at the press conference after the meeting, party president Leo Moggie attempted to brush it aside saying "they are exercising their vocal skills".

Face-to-face meet

Yesterday's meeting was the first time top leaders and supporters of the two factions sat down together since the party crisis began several months ago.

Over the past year, leaders of the two factions had never been in attendance at SC meetings at the same time. Some cited official duties as reasons for their absence, which others felt were mere excuses in order to avoid each another.

However, as yesterday's meeting was to elect a chairperson for the credentials committee which will decide o­n the validity of branches eligible to vote at the forthcoming triennial delegates conference (TDC), key leaders from both sides were in attendance.

The four key figures embroiled in the party's feud - deputy president Daniel Tajem and his ruunning mate Joseph Salang, information chief James Masing and vice-president Sng Chee Hua - were present. So were their key supporters who are SC members.

The results of the election for the credentials committee chairperson showed that the SC was deeply divided.

A party stalwart Dr Jawie Masing, proposed by the Tajem-Salang faction to be the committee's chairperson , secured 18 votes with 13 against.

The supreme council has 32 members. o­nly o­ne member was absent.

Prospects not bright

It is also an indication that the prospects for the Masing-Sng alliance ( left ) do not look so bright as yesterday's results proved that the Tajem-Salang group commands the majority support in the SC which is the highest decision-making body in the party.

Another indicator of the waning support for Masing and Sng was Moggie's statement yesterday that he would prefer both the president and deputy president of the party to be Dayaks.

"It is my personal opinion that Dayaks hold the top two posts," he said adding that he was not against any personalities although it is well known as a clear reference to Sng, a Chinese.

Moggie said he hoped it was still possible to reach some form of consensus o­n the top leadership line-up before the party polls.

But he added, "I don't think there is much hope in that now."

Within PBDS circles, it has become quite clear that Moggie has given up all hope of any re-conciliation among the two factions.

Attempts from within and outside the party to persuade Moggie to stay o­n as president failed. He is said to have made up his mind to retire and seemed firm about it.

Moggie was plucked from the Sarawak civil service in 1974 to contest in the general election that year. He was with the Sarawak National Party (Snap) and was appointed a state minister in 1976 after Snap rejoined the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

He joined the federal cabinet after the 1978 general election and is now the minister for energy, communications and multi-media.

He founded PBDS in 1983 following a two-year long crisis in Snap.

KS Paul is malaysiakini 's stringer in Sarawak.