Former Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) president Daniel Tajem and his team are now expected to meet Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Thursday in Putrajaya, following the rescheduling of their meeting this afternoon.

The group, including former secretary-general Stanley Ajang and two others, were originally scheduled to meet the PM at 2.30pm today, but this was rescheduled because Abdullah had to attend to other pressing matters at the last minute.

PBDS founder and the previous president Leo Moggie accompanied the group.

A source said the group, including Kanowit MP Aaron Dagang, Lubok Antu MP Jawah Gerang and Ngemah state assemblyperson Gabriel Adit would remain in Kuala Lumpur until Thursday.

They are anxious to seek Abdullah's advice in his capacity as Barisan Nasional chairperson at to how to proceed, now that PBDS has been de-registered , and to find out if he would endorse their plan to join a state component party en bloc.

The state BN has agreed to a Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) suggestion that the remaining five elected representatives from this faction should first consider joining the newly-formed Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

PRS is led by Dr James Masing, who was involved in a bitter and protracted tussle with Tajem for leadership of PBDS.

Sources told malaysiakini : "If it is Pak Lah's wish that they should join PRS, I suppose they have little choice."

Meanwhile, former PBDS youth leader Joseph Entulu,who is also Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said no one should block the entry of the five into PRS for the sake of restoring Dayak unity .

That view, however, is not shared by all leaders aligned to the Masing group, which has nine elected representatives.