The six incumbent members of Parliament of the de-registered Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) are all likely to be re-nominated to stand on BN ticket in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

This first public indication of the PBDS group's likely candidate line-up was given today by one of the incumbents, Julau MP Joseph Salang, who was deputy president of the party aligned with the Daniel Tajem faction.

Salang, who is a close confidante of former PBDS president Leo Moggie, the minister of energy, communications and multimedia, also maintains some close ties with the federal BN leadership.

Malaysiakini

learnt that Moggie had communicated with the prime minister and federal Barisan Nasional chairperson Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the group's view on the matter.

The state BN leadership has left it completely to Pak Lah to decide on the matter.

Each of the two rival factions in the party controls three MPs each. One group comprises Leo Moggie (Kanowit), Salang (Julau) and Jawah Gerang (Lubok Antu). The other group comprises Billy Abit Joo (Hulu Rajang), Jimmy Donald (Sri Aman) and Joseph Mauh Ikeh (Selangau).

"On our side, as far I am concerned I will defend Julau and Jawah Gerang (Lubok Antu)" Salang said, adding that although Moggie has indicated many times he wanted to step down "there is now talk the prime minister still wants him."

Yesterday, Salang officiated at a leadership course attended by about 1000 people, including 139 longhouse chiefs, at Rumah Kadi in Barasok, Pakan. Moggie also visited his constituency Kanowit yesterday.

Next two weeks

Salang also said he was confident that the party, de-registered by the Registrar of Societies early December last year, could be re-instated following its appeal "within the next two weeks."

He revealed that a high-level committee comprising officers of the Attorney-General's Office and others was looking into details, including the new party set-up.

He added: "It has to be a situation that is fair, reasonable and acceptable to both factions."

In his immediate reaction, rival faction leader and former party information chief Dr James Masing told a press conference today that if the party was reinstated, the only way was to hold fresh party polls after the parliamentary elections.

According to him, if Tajem and those aligned to him were still to occupy the same party posts, he would go against it.

Salang was quoted by the Borneo Post , a local English daily, today as saying that the revival of PBDS was important as it would ensure good representation for the Dayaks in parliament.

Masing disputed this argument, giving statistics to show Dayak elected representation via other parties in the state.