The Daniel Tajem faction of the de-registered Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) expects to receive by tomorrow the "acknowledgment" to their appeal letter to the home minister against the decision of the Registrar of Societies (ROS) in de-registering the party.

Julau member of parliament Joseph Salang, who is also the deputy president of the faction, said this in a speech to about 1,000 people during a project opening ceremony at Rumah Janggu, Ulu Lasi in Sarikei Division yesterday.

According to the party's former youth deputy chief Anthony Nais, who was also present, Salang said he was hopeful of receiving the "acknowledgment" to their appeal letter well before nomination day on March 13.

If and when the party is re-instated, which is widely speculated to happen soon, it will help address the issue of candidacy of the six party-less members of parliament from the de-registered PBDS.

The six MPs are split right in the middle between the two factions of the party.

The Tajem 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).

Malaysiakini

understands that if no decision is made before this Saturday, the candidates chosen to fill the six PBDS' allotted seats could become direct Barisan Nasional candidates, based on several precedents in the past in Sarawak.

Pak Lah to decide

The state BN leadership has decided to stay clear of the sticky issue because of the intense rivalry between the two PBDS factions.

It has publicly told the factions that the matter is left entirely to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to finalise the list, although it is expected Chief Minister and state BN chairperson Abdul Taib Mahmud will have a say, as he is scheduled to meet Pak Lah tomorrow in Kuala Lumpur.

The other PBDS faction led by state Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation Dr James Masing is reported to have submitted six of their own names to the chief minister.

On the other hand, the Tajem faction has opted for a status quo meaning keeping all six incumbents, unless one or two of them opt out on their own.

Masing, meanwhile, hopes the decision to reinstate PBDS will happen only after the elections, arguing that it is best to resolve the present dispute among the party leaders at the polls and that there will be a lot more time to settle problems after the elections.

In his Sunday Tribune column today, Peter Minos, who is Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) deputy secretary-general, wrote: "It is possible the federal BN may ask the Tajem group to keep the party intact and that some compromise be made. Tajem is not telling people yet."

He added: "The Masing group wants the problems in PBDS to be solved after the elections. Normally, people would hope that their problems can be solved as soon as possible. What is there to solve when the elections is over?"