The Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) faction led by president Daniel Tajem today found obstacles in their way to hold the first of their road-shows when permission for them to use the state-owned Dewan Suarah in Sibu on Sept 6 was withdrawn.

PBDS vice president Gabriel Adit, the state assemblyperson for Ngemah and former president Leo Moggie's nephew, claimed at a press conference at party headquarters this afternoon that the permission was withdrawn on the directive of the state Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation, Dr James Masing.

He said a letter dated Aug 30 and signed by the Sibu Dewan Suarah manager John Wong, addressed to the party's new executive secretary Douglas Alau, gave no reason for the cancellation other than the application from the party to use the hall for the dialogue had not been approved.

Masing's apparent role in this incident raises concern among the supporters of Tajem as both the leaders are involved in a long drawn leadership tussle.

Leadership tussle

Both of them had eyed the party leadership in what was expected to be a bitter contest in the party's national congress but the immediate past president Moggie pre-empted this by announcing his resignation on June 26.

Moggie had then appointed Tajem as the acting president, and two weeks before the party's triennial delegates conference, Tajem and his running mate Joseph Salang Gandum were returned unopposed as president and deputy president when nominations for the party posts closed.

However the long and protracted quarrel among leaders of the party continued when Masing's group held its own TNC and appointed Masing and Sng Chee Hua as party leaders.

At this stage, both the factions are awaiting a decision from the Registrar of Societies to determine the leadership tussle. And in the meantime, both the factions are contemplating ways to garner more support from their members to affirm their legitimacy.

On minister's order

According to Adit, the Dewan Suarah management had earlier on Aug 26 informed the party that their application was approved subject to several conditions, including payment of RM675 rental plus RM100 deposit.

"We were in the process of making payment of the rental and deposit when they wrote to us again (on Aug 30) to say that our application had not been approved ," Adit said.

He said he had spoken to the chairman of the board Wong Soon Koh, who is the state Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications, who explained that the management of the Dewan Suarah comes directly under the control of the Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation which is headed by Masing.

Adit added that he had also spoken to a senior official of the Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation who told him that the decision was made on the directive of the Minister.

Meanwhile, Masing when contacted later by malaysiakini denied that he had given such directive.

"The Dewan Suarah comes under the purview of its management and does not refer such matters to the ministry."

The minister, however, did say that "government functions take precedence over political functions," but could not say whether a government function would be held on the same date and time at the same venue.

New venue

Adit said Moggie, who is the minister of energy, communications and multimedia, who will be the guest of honour at the dialogue session, had been informed of the latest development.

The Tajem faction will now hold the dialogue at Rumah Panjai Datuk Leo, a new and modern 30-door longhouse about 40 kms from Sibu Town on the same day.

According to Adit, more than 3000 people are expected to attend to listen to Moggie as well as other many party leaders explaining their side of the story in the PBDS crisis.

"The Masing faction has created a lot of confusion on the ground claiming to set up service centres and going on a new membership drive," he said.

"But we know why they are doing it. They are not saying it publicly because they are cowards but in fact they are going to set up a new political party," Adit added.