Faction leader Dr James Masing of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak has refused to divulge his line-up of candidates for the party triennial delegates conference (TDC) scheduled for Oct 9 and 10.

While he side-stepped reporters' questions on this recently, he did not dismiss the possibility that all would be revealed after a month-long road show which started in Miri last Friday.

His faction will visit Bau, Lundu, Sarikei, Sri Aman, Kuching, Limbang, Lawas, Bintulu, Serian, Kapit and Sibu during the road show.

"The delegates are quite sophisticated now. Let them think for themselves who can lead the party for the next three years. During the road show, we will update members on latest development," he said.

His silence has not stopped speculation that Masing will name a new running mate - someone highly qualified and younger than long-standing nominee Sng Chee Hua.

Earlier this month, the Sunday Tribune quoted Masing as saying that Joseph Entulu - former Youth chief and currently Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister Department - deserves a higher position in the party.

"He is well accepted by both the federal and state leadership," Masing was reported to have said.

Entulu was state assistant minister in the Sarawak cabinet prior to winning a parliamentary seat in the general election on March 21. The former lecturer hold a Master's degree in finance.

Closure anticipated

Masing also said members are eager to resolve the leadership crisis and that they are supportive of the Barisan Nasional (BN) technical committee's instruction to use the TDC delegates' list of 2000.

However, he also acknowledged that he had lost to Daniel Tajem in the contest for the deputy president's post that year. The two are likely to face off for the president's post when fresh elections are held in October.

"I'm willing to subject myself to the same people who had rejected me in 2000," Masing said.

The TDC will bring together three delegates each from the 206 branches in the main body, 55 in the women's wing and 56 in the youth section.

The BN technical committee chaired by coalition secretary-general Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said preparations for the TDC would be discussed after Kuala Berang by-election on Saturday.

The conference will enable the election of office-bearers in a last-ditch effort to close the leadership tussle within the party.

Failure to do so had resulted in its deregistration last December, but its status was reinstated just prior to the general election on March 21.

JIMMY TEOH is malaysiakini 's Sarawak-based stringer.