The political equation in the crisis-ridden Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak is now different.

With a single stroke in timing his resignation as president on Wednesday, Leo Moggie has given his deputy Daniel Tajem a clear and obvious advantage over his (Tajem's) main rival Dr James Masing in the fight for control of the party.

Along with his resignation as president, Moggie also has to request 10 members he appointed to the party's highest policy-making body, the supreme council, to step down as well.

Among the 10 was Masing whom Moggie appointed three years ago as information chief after the former lost in the contest for the deputy president's post against Tajem. All but three of the 10 appointed members, many of whom also lost in the last party elections in 2000, were in the pro-Masing-Sng faction.

It, therefore, was not a surprise line-up when the new president unveiled his new replacements today. Out of the 10 whose appointments lapsed when Moggie resigned on Wednesday, only three were re-appointed.