Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) presidential hopefuls Daniel Tajem and Dr James Masing were cool towards each other each when they met by chance at a gathering in Kapit in central Sarawak last night.

Except for a shake-shake, they did not utter a single word to each other at the gathering to observe the final rites - the ngelumbung - for the late Tiong Anding, wife of the late paramount Iban chief, Temenggong Jugah anak Barieng.

Although they were seated close to each other (former state minister Celestine Ujang sat between the duo), they kept to themselves throughout the evening until the departure of some 1000 guests.

The host was former Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) secretary-general and influential Iban leader Leonard Linggi , the lawyer son of the late Jugah.

Pantun recital

According to those who witnessed the goings-on, Tajem and his entourage comprising several of PBDS supreme council members and elected vice presidents, arrived first at Linggi's house. The delegation included Tajem's running-mate for the deputy president's post Joseph Salang.

Masing, who is the state social development and urbanisation minister, arrived later at around

9.30 pm with the PBDS Sri Aman member of Parliament Jimmy Donald and Wilson Uggak, a political secretary to the Chief Minister.

According to several guests, it was obvious that the Masing group felt somewhat awkward when they saw so many of the pro-Tajem/Salang supporters. One witness told malaysiakini that Masing appeared to look sleepy while another member of his group sat tight and said nothing to anyone.

Tajem was said to be trying to carry on with more than a handshake with his rival and talk, but Masing was in a hurry to go to his seat.

As is usually customary on an occasion like this, there were also pantun recital by the women-folks. One described the pro-Tajem/Salang member of parliament Jewah Gerang as the "young man of courage from Engkilili" or what the Iban would call a "bujang berani" who had come to attend the gathering with "our Dayak leader" Tajem.

No reference was made about Masing and his two supporters.

A pantun is a poem that is recited on special occasions in Iban longhouses, especially when there

are special guests, such as leaders, or visitors around, as a means of paying tribute or thanks.

Final rites

Linggi, who is also chairman of the newly-established Sarawak Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, thanked the guests for their presence, saying that many of them had come for the third time to observe ceremonies marking his late mother's death.

The first was when she passed away last year and the second was the 'muka ulit' to mark the end of the mourning period. The third, held on Saturday night, was the final rites for the departed soul to go to heaven.

The presence of such a large number of people, including leaders of political party leaders, especially Ibans from various parties, community leaders and chiefs from far and near, indicated the great influence that Linggi still wields, inspite having stepped down as PBB secretary-general.

This is shown, for instance, by the presence of leaders of both factions from the PBDS.