The de-registered Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak's (PBDS) former publicity chief Dr James Masing has denied any attempt to discredit former party leader Joseph Salang Gandum on the ground to prevent the latter from being re-nominated as candidate for the Julau parliamentary constituency.

"It is not my intention to sabotage Salang as accused by his group," said Masing, who is state minister of social development and urbanisation and faction leader opposed to the leadership of Daniel Tajem, president of PBDS.

Salang, deputy president of the de-registered party, has publicly accused Masing and his group of using what he described as 'dirty tactics' of getting him discredited on the ground so that the top Barisan Nasional leadership would not nominate him again to defend the seat.

The incumbent MP hit back after Masing went to a longhouse in his Julau constituency telling voters not vote for a Barisan Nasional 'clown' if he should be fielded to replace him.

According to a recent Chinese newspaper report, a former Julau MP Sng Chee Hua, who is with the Masing camp, has indicated he is interested if nominated by the leadership to stand in Julau.

Julau is one of the six parliamentary seats held by PBDS.

Ministerial duties

According to the Borneo Post today, Masing was quoted as saying that his visit to all six PBDS-held seats was to garner support for BN MPs.

He added that it was also his duty as a minister to visit all these areas to hear from the ground the performance of the BN MPs and to listen to other problems of the constituents.

"I will try to cover all the 28 parliamentary seats within the next few weeks," Masing said in an indication that elections are around the corner. Speculation is rife that elections will be called next month.

Yesterday, the Election Commission held a briefing for political party leaders in Sarawak. Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud was present.

Meanwhile, Taib told reporters yesterday after the briefing that a formula should be found to resolve the probems within PBDS, and indicated that the two rival factions should sit down and talk.

Malaysiakini understands that the top BN leadership has indicated that as far as PBDS is concerned, the status quo should be maintained in the party's parliamentary candidates.

This, according to observers, seems to indicate that former PBDS president Leo Moggie, who is Minister of Energy, Communications and Multimedia, is also being urged to stay on in poitics by the top BN leadership in Kuala Lumpur, to prevent further problems within the party.

"It would seem to indicate that his services as a minister are still needed," they added.