Representatives from Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) two rival factions met face-to-face today in the presence of Barisan Nasional and Registrar of Societies (ROS) officials to try and resolve the issue of fresh party polls.

But when they emerged at 5.15pm after a two-hour meeting held at the Parti Bumiputra Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) headquarters in Kuching, they gave no indication whether any date had been set for the election of new PBDS office-bearers.

Barisan Nasional secretary-general Khalil Yaacob, who was at the meeting, said the discussions were held in the BN spirit and that he would make a report to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Abdullah, who is BN chairperson, had ordered fresh elections for the troubled party's office bearers after its legal status was reinstated by the ROS on March 9, just before last month's general election.

The party was de-registered on Dec 5 last year following a long, internal leadership struggle which resulted in two sets of leadership being elected at separate meetings.

Today's meeting was also attended by PBB deputy president Alfred Jabu ( photo ) - who is also Sarawak deputy chief minister and considered as the Dayak leader of the state, ROS' Dahari Ibrahim and state BN secretary-general Ambrose Blikau.

The Masing faction was represented by leader Dr James Masing, Sng Chee Hua and Joseph Entulu, while the Tajem faction was represented by PBDS vice-president Peter Runin, secretary-general Stanley Ajang and supreme council member Baru Bian.

Notable absentee was PBDS president Daniel Tajem.

Tajem in no hurry

Tajem in a public statement over the weekend at a party function had said that he was in no hurry to hold the party's triennial delegates conference (TDC), saying the reinstatement letter from the Home Affairs Ministry gave no date or deadline for the TDC to be held.

Other than Khalil, none of those who attended today's meeting were ready to talk to the waiting media.

Sources, however, told malaysiakini that the main topic was the date and preparations to be made for PBDS' fresh office-bearer elections.

The Tajem faction is known to have made it clear that the new elections must follow the party constitution, and that responsibility for preparing for the exercise must rest with the supreme council, which is headed by Tajem ( photo ) as president.

"Other than touching on the date and venue for the elections, the Masing group must have also reiterated their demand that the year 2000 delegates list be used," the sources said.

The sources said the Tajem faction representatives "listened to views expressed from the various parties" and indicated they would have to refer back to the party's supreme council which will meet next week.