It will not be easy for the Democratic Action Party (DAP) to translate into reality its dream of taking over the state government in the next state election.

james masing Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing ( right ) said he believed the party would not be able to convince the majority of the Dayaks to support it in Dayak majority areas.

He disclosed this to Bernama today in Sibu on his return from Kanowit town.

He had attended a dinner there last night to celebrate Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) candidate Datuk Gramong Juna's win in the Machan seat and PRS candidate Alexander Vincent in successfully wresting the Ngemah seat from the state Parti Cinta Malaysia branch chairman Gabriel Adit Demong.

 Wong to woo Dayaks

State DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng had recently said his party would go to the rural areas soon to woo the Dayaks in its attempt to take over the Sarawak state government by the next state election.

He said the DAP would endeavour to recruit more Dayak members and set up more Dayak branches state-wide.

Masing said the DAP had earlier on tried to co-operate with a state-based Dayak opposition party, the Sarawak National Party (SNAP), but this had 'failed miserably'.

"There maybe some Dayaks joining the DAP but it will not attract quality Dayak leaders.

"This is simply because even though it is a multi-racial party, the DAP is basically Chinese-based. The Dayak members will not have much say," he said.

Masing, who is also Sarawak Land Development Minister, said that in the just concluded election there was a slight decrease in support for some Dayak seats.

"We cannot take the Dayak seats for granted any longer," he said.

He added that the PBB and PRS had nine Dayak seats each while the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) had eight and the Sarawak United People's Party, four and although these seats were the BN 'fixed deposits', they could be stolen.

- Bernama