The statement by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday that he would ' save ' Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak has pleased at least one faction in the party.

Joseph Salang, the deputy president of the deregistered PBDS and aligned to the Daniel Tajem group, today described the prime minister's comments as a "positive sign".

He told malaysiakini that the priority now is for the two warring factions in the party to work together for Dayak unity through PBDS.

Before flying off to Brunei on an official visit yesterday, the prime minister told reporters in Kuching that he wanted to 'save' PBDS and that this would depend on the appeal letter which he was still waiting from Tajem.

On Abdullah's advice to the two factions to listen to each other and solve their internal party problems, Salang said the prime minister had suggested that when he called on him recently at a Hari Raya open house in Kuala Lumpur.

"But at that time, the ROS had already deregistered the party, leaving everyone without a platform."

If not, according to Salang, they would have taken the initiative to move towards a possible reconciliation by trying to bring everyone back into the party.

Depend on top guns

Meanwhile, the deputy leader of the rival faction Sng Chee Hua declined to comment on the prime minister's statement.

All he would say was "we leave it to the wisdom of the Barisan Nasional top leadership to decide on what should happen next."

He also declined to comment on whether efforts to get Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) registered would continue. His only reply was:"You have to ask Sidi Munan (the pro tem chairperson)."

The leaders of the two factions Daniel Tajem and Dr James Masing were not available for comment.

Malaysiakini , however, understands that the Tajem group is expected to submit the appeal letter to the prime minister this week, after Abdullah's return from Brunei.