After months of politicking, signs of stress and strains appear to show among some leaders of the crisis-ridden Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS).

This morning, when delivering a speech in Bahasa Malaysia at the launch of 'Sarawak Boleh Exhibition' in Kuching, Dr James Masing appeared to falter due to fatigue after spending months on the political hustings campaigning for his faction's right to control the leadership of the Dayak-based party.

In the course of Masing's delivery, the state minister of social development and urbanisation stopped and suddenly said: "As you know, I am facing a big problem. Please pray for all of us".

He added that "to get to where we want, we have to face the problems and tackle them."

According to those present, he was visibly tired and one member of the audience told malaysiakini he thought the events of the past few days "must have shaken him up a bit."

He was obviously referring to PBDS former president Leo Moggie's public endorsement on the weekend of Masing's rival Daniel Tajem to lead the party.

Ex-leader's endorsement crucial

Although some of Masing's staunch supporters appeared to downplay the significance of Moggie's support for Tajem as the legitimately-elected president of the party, the fact that the former leader enjoys the confidence of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is not lost on most of them.

Days before Moggie's thumbs-up for Tajem, rival leader Masing was elected as president at the faction's own conference in Bintulu, leading to the party now having two presidents.

This morning's official function was to have been officiated by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud but he was deputised by Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries Adenan Satem.

Adenan, the senior vice-president of Taib's Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Sarawak (PBB), prefaced his remarks by saying in jest - and referring to Masing who spoke before him - that the audience should find his voice more audible "as I do not have any problems at all."

Meanwhile, PBDS president Tajem was reported to have fallen 'sick' after a long weekend during which he presided over proceedings of the 7th triennial delegates conference of the party at Kuching's Santubong Resort, and personally met some 2,000 delegates and observers.

He had to cancel a tentative arrangement for him to be interviewed by a Kuala Lumpur-based reporter for a national English-language daily.

"No, I don't know when he will be able to see me," the reporter told malaysiakini today, "but I will be seeing Masing this afternoon."

Meeting did not take place

The Sibu gathering of supporters of the Masing faction scheduled for today however did not take place.

"I am not aware of any gathering in Sibu," a supreme council member Sidi Munan of the Masing faction. "I am in Kuching," he added.

Sidi is considered as one of the Masing faction's advisers, especially on the party constitution and the Societies Act, which are issues that concern not only the two rival factions but also the Registrar of Societies.

This revolves largely around the question of the recent party elections.

Tajem and his supporters were all returned unopposed after branches considered to be pro-Masing were disqualified.

The Masing faction accused their rivals of contravening the party constitution and the Societies Act and has referred the matter to the all-powerful ROS.

Meanwhile, the Tajem faction is in its final stage of preparing a report which is to be submitted both to the ROS and prime minister-in-waiting Abdullah.

It is expected that the report will contain information on how the faction has followed all party's rules and procedures as well as their opponents' alleged contravention of the party constitution.