Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) former president Leo Moggie today acknowledged his support for and recognition of his former deputy president Daniel Tajem as the new leader of the party.

"I recognise him as the new president of PBDS," he told reporters after opening the 6 th triennial delegates conference of the party at Kuching Santubong Resort this morning.

Although Moggie had been known to support the Tajem-Salang faction in the party leadership struggle, this was the first time that he had publicly made his stand clear to a large gathering of party delegates and observers from throughout the state.

In his speech delivered largely in Iban before some 2000 delegates and observers, Moggie said: "Let us all support the leadership of Daniel Tajem and members of his supreme council."

Symbolic transfer

Moggie, who is Energy, Communications and Multimedia Minister, was made president emeritus of PBDS today. According to Tajem, what this means is that he can attend the party's supreme council meetings any time he wants to, even though he no longer holds any post in the party.

As a symbolic transfer of power from the former president to his successor, Moggie handed over to Tajem a parang ilang (long knife), a shield and a spear.

Moggie was given a standing ovation when he walked into the conference hall to officiate at the TDC shrouded in controversy following the announcement on July 24 by their rival faction led by former information chief Dr James Masing of their own supreme council, youth and women sections in Bintulu.

Moggie said as far as he is concerned, Tajem and his deputy president Joseph Salang have followed all the rules and procedures in the run-up to the party nomination and election process.

He traced back some of the events indicating his attempts which turned out to be futile in trying to reach a concensus within the party on the new party leadership line-up from the day he first made known his intention to step down at the 6 th TDC known.

Felt betrayed

In an obvious reference to Dr Masing and his group, he said his intentions were not only misunderstood and misinterpreted but that he had also felt ''a sense of disappointment'' and ''a sense of betrayal.''

He cited one example as when Dr Masing, Sng Chee Hua and Ulu Rajang MP Billy Abit went to see him in Kuala Lumpur before the party's supreme council meeting on May 25 this year which was the last SC meeting he chaired before he announced his abrupt resignation.

During the meeting, the Masing group suggested that following practices in past TDCs every eligible branch should be allowed to send three delegates, irrespective of their membership size.

Tajem who was also present during the press conference said he met Moggie later who briefed him on the meeting he had with the trio earlier. Following this, a resolution was drafted and subsequently adopted at the party's SC meeting on May 25.

Another issue was the waiver on membership fees which was also brought up and subsequently adopted at the SC meeting.

Later the Masing faction said by doing this the party had contravened the relevent provisions in the party constitution.

Dayak aspirations

In his speech, Moggie also said that PBDS is an important conduit for the expression of Dayak aims and aspirations in the Barisan Nasional.

"For this reason, the party should continue to exist. There is no reason why PBDS cannot continue to be a registered political party,"" he said.

Moggie described the differences among party leaders as not something unusual or uncommon within political parties.

He hoped, however, that the two factions could get together and patch up their differences. He did not say what could or would happen if they failed to do so.

In his speech, Tajem said if the party is to continue to be relevant "we need the goodwill of all ethnic groups and Dayaks alike."

"If this party is to continue to be a vehicle for Dayak aspirations, then give the people who have been elected, support, sinew and vive," he said in referring to the new party leadership.

Tajem also reiterated PBDS's support and co-operation for the Barisan Nasional at the federal level under Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Prime Minister-designate Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the Barisan Nasional at state level under Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

PBDS secretary-general Stanley Ajang said in his remarks at the opening that "although many old members are not present, a lot more of new members are attending the TDC as delegates and observers from throughout Sarawak".