Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) vice-president Sng Chee Hua explained tonight that he turned up at the party's supreme council meeting this morning "to protest" against new president Daniel Tajem's move in appointing those whom he claimed were "strangers" to the party's supreme council (SC).

"I was present because I am an elected vice-president of the party and a SC member. I was also present to protest Tajem's high-handed move in simply appointing Dick, Tom and Harry to the supreme council - which is the highest decision-making body of the party," he told malaysiakini in a telephone interview.

"Please don't turn the supreme council into a "joke". We are now the laughing stock in the Barisan Nasional," he said.

On whom he was referring to as "strangers", Sng said he enquired at the meeting this morning who Ruis Jugah and Kisun Munang were as examples of the newly appointed SC members whom he had never met before.

Isn't this a shame!

"Jugah said he is from Song which is near Kapit, my home town. Now I don't even know him. If he is a PBDS leader in Song, surely I would know who he is.

"I have been in the party for 20 years and I have to ask a fellow SC member to introduce himself. Isn't this a shame!

"I am also not aware who this gentleman Kisun Munang is. Where is he from and is he a PBDS member?" Sng asked.

The PBDS veep, aligned to Dr James Masing in the party's struggle for leadership control, said he wished that Tajem had exercised more wisdom and decorum in appointed people to such important positions in the party.

"Tajem chopped a minister (Masing), he chopped an assistant minister (Dublin Unting), two members of Parliament (Jimmy Donald and Billy Abit) and one state assembly representative (John Sikei) from the supreme council. In their place, he appointed "strangers". What is the meaning of all this?"

Feelings of BN leaders

Sng opined that sacking Masing and Dublin, who are members of the Sarawak Cabinet, showed utter disrespect to Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud who appointed them as ministers.

"Didn't Tajem consider the feelings of leaders of the Sarawak Barisan Nasional when he took the action?"

Sng said it is okay if Tajem appoint personalities like Stephen Randi Sakalai and Paul Kadang who are party veterans.

"But please, not any Dick, Tom or Harry. Now, we are "a council of jokers"," said Sng who is also an elected SC member.

"All those elected representatives, Dr James Masing in particular, have been with the party for a long time and have sacrificed a lot for the party. Surely, you cannot sack such dedicated souls just like that, " he fumed.

Sng also pointed out that he has nothing personal against Daniel Tajem but he has to protest against his (Tajem's) decision in the SC appointments.

"Of course, everybody want to win the elections. Tajem wants to win. I also want to win. But we must win in a manner which will not bring harm or cause destruction to the party," he said.

Solution to crisis

Sng said that deep in his heart, he was hoping that Tajem could find a solution to the crisis in the party when he took over from Leo Moggie as president on Wednesday.

"I honestly believe that Tajem would forward a reconciliation plan so that there may be a chance for everybody to work together again.

"Apparently, Tajem in his first few days as president has failed PBDS and his community. Moggie's sacrifice to step down earlier has been in vain," Sng added.

The PBDS veep also questioned why the guidelines from the credentials committee for party elections have been kept under wraps and not given to interested parties yet.

"Why must the guidelines be so secretive? Even the Election Commission issues election manuals to interested candidates a long time before a general election is called," he pointed out.

Sng added that he feared the worst for the party if Tajem did not "wake up to his senses".