A group of nine elected representatives opposed to the leadership of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) president Daniel Tajem are to join the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), according to unconfirmed reports.

The group, led by the party's former information chief Dr James Masing, who is state land development minister, comprises six state assemblypersons and three members of Parliament.

SPDP president William Mawan did not deny nor confirm rumours now making their rounds that SPDP has been asked to take in Masing and his group.

He would only go as far as saying that ''if asked by the Barisan Nasional leadership we will play a role (to accommodate them) provided it does not de-stabilize the party.''

Part of the reason, which is seen as making it necessary for many of Masing's supporters to join another party, is the recent sacking of party members.

Party-less now

Among them are an assistant state minister Dublin Unting, Kapit wali-kota or mayor Philimon Nuing and Miri municipal councillor Josephine Mawat. They are party-less, although the sacked members have refused to recognise the decision.

"It is possibly to save the state BN leadership some embarrassment in keeping them in government posts when they are seen as party-less," according to seasoned political observers.

Taib is seen as having acted with certain impunity on July 1 when he excluded Tajem's camp and appointed Pelagus state assemblyperson Larry Sng as an assistant minister.

Larry is the 24-year-old son of former PBDS vice president and former elected representative Sng Chee Hua who is aligned with the Masing camp.

Speculation is that if Masing and his group were to leave either for SPDP or any other parties in the state BN, PBDS will be left with only two state assemblypersons and three MPs including Deputy Foreign Minister Joseph Salang Gandum.

PBDS has been badly split because of a protracted leadership crisis that forced the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to de-register the party only to reinstate it in March this year following Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's intervention.

Mawan, who is also state social development and urbanisation minister, confirmed that SPDP supreme council would meet on July 9 ''to discuss important current political developments in the state.''

There has been talk that Chief Minister and state BN chairperson Taib Mahmud had asked Mawan on June 30 ''to park Masing and his group'' in SPDP.

But Mawan denied the chief minister ever talked to him about the matter.

He said it might still be too early to talk about anyone from PBDS joining any other component party as PBDS elections would not take place until October.

Stronger SPDP

Mawan's SPDP which has five state assemblypersons and four MPs may find itself forced to make some room for all PBDS' 14 elected representatives (if the party is de-registered again) or nine aligned to the Masing group.

That will make SPDP a much stronger party with at least 18 elected representatives, but some of its party leaders are said to be ''quite uncomfortable'' in taking everyone in from PBDS, preferring some to be placed with Taib's Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu Sarawak (PBDS) and Sarawak United People's Party (Supp).

''Much will depend on what will transpire at the SPDP supreme council meeting on July 9,'' sources told malaysiakini .

Mawan is likely to face several party leaders with certain reservations about the issue of accommodating the Masing group if it has to come to that eventually.

There have been talks too that ''two to three names'' from the Masing group are ''not exactly welcomed'' and several party leaders have already made their views known to the BN leadership.