A last-minute compromise deal that may be brokered by top federal Barisan Nasional leadership is now thought to be most likely ahead of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak's (PBDS) scheduled Oct 9-10 party elections to resolve its leadership dispute.

Informed sources said that under the deal, Daniel Tajem will remain party president with his arch rival Dr James Masing as deputy president The two factions will have an equal number of seats in the party's decision-making body called the supreme council.

This proposed deal is said to be quite similar to the Malaysia Chinese Association (MCA) compromise deal, except in the case of PBDS, it is to save the party from being de-registered again.

If the two factions could accept such a deal, then the so-called compromise list will be pressed to the delegates attending the long overdue triennial delegates conferences (TDC) this early October "without any contest", the sources said.

"It may not go down well with everybody, but that's the best for the party and for every member," the sources added.

Meeting with PM

The BN leadership has stepped in to try and resolve the long-running leadership dispute within the Dayak-based party, after it was de-registered by the Registrar of Societies in December last year only to be reinstated in March before the general election on the directive of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The party has 14 elected representatives - nine state assembly representatives and five members of parliament. Two are federal deputy ministers, one full state minister and three assistant ministers.

The sources said the Abdullah is expected to call leaders of both factions for a meeting after his return from New York later this week, or he may ask BN secretary-general Radzi Sheikh Ahmad to put forward his (Abdullah's) proposal for a compromise line-up.

"The prime minister has told close aides and other BN leaders he wants PBDS to remain intact," the sources said. "At the same time, he wants PBDS leaders to know of the possible consequences and implications if the acrimony continues with a bitter fight for party posts now."

The losers might take defeat so gracefully, the sources said.

'Parking' option

Asked if Masing would agree to accept the No 2 post since he has publicly stated he wants nothing less that the top post in the party, the sources said: "If it comes from the prime minister, would Dr Masing say no?'

"If Masing loses in a fight, the worst case scenario may mean having to search for a party or parties to park themselves and they will certainly not call the shots anymore."

The Sarawak United People's Party (Supp) is reported keen on taking a few, including PBDS' only Chinese elected representative Larry Sng, 25, the recently-appointed state Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Office.

Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) recently amended its constitution to bar new members for six years before being able to vie for top party posts.

Chief Minister Taib Mahmud's Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) is said to be 'more than willing' to accommodate most of PBDS' elected representatives if the party is de-registered again or if the Masing faction should lose the fight in the coming TDC.

Giving up PBDS and joining PBB for Masing may be the last option he sees for himself. In his heart, he wants to be with PBDS where he started out in politics.

With the PBDS party elections around the corner, the prime minister may well save the day for PBDS, Tajem and Masing and others who have been the main players in the four long years that the Dayak-based party has been embroiled in the leadership crisis.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini 's Sarawak-based stringer.