Ruling state Barisan Nasional's largest component, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), has offered to take in two of the five 'partyless' elected representatives from the now defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS).

According to well-informed sources, Chief Minister and PBB president Taib Mahmud indicated this to a senior member of the group of five, Joseph Salang, who is deputy foreign minister, when they met earlier this week in Parliament House.

Salang and four others have applied en bloc to join PBB.

The two state assemblypersons whom Taib is keen to accept are former PBDS secretary-general Stanley Ajang (Belaga) and former PBDS vice-president Gabriel Adit (Ngemah), who is also former party president Leo Moggie's nephew.

The other three are all members of parliament - Salang (Julau), Aaron Dagang (Kanowit) and Jawah Gerang (Lubok Antu).

It is reliably learnt that the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) led by state social development and urbanisation minister William Mawan, has also offered a place in the party for the partyless elected representatives.

Another state BN component, Sarawak United People's Party (Supp), has made a similar offer.

The newly-established Parti Rakyat Bersatu (PRS), which is yet to be officially admitted into the BN and comprising the majority of elected representatives from PBDS, has also invited their partyless elected representatives to join them.

The new party is holding their first general assembly this weekend in Kuching, and Taib has been invited to officiate the party's launch.

Little difference

It is not known what Salang's reaction was to Taib's suggestion, but it is understood he told the Sarawak chief minister that the five had applied to join PBB en bloc and that they would have to discuss the matter further.

PBB's gesture has come at a time when the Election Commission has announced the re-delineation of electoral boundaries that will 'give' the party a significant number of new seats. Thus, it would make little difference whether the five join PBB or not.

But Taib is unlikely to say no to everyone, and the decision to accommodate the two state assemblypersons has something to do about creating a balance in ethnic representation as Ajang is a Kaya (Orang Ulu) and Adit is an Iban, while the three MPs are all Ibans.

"It will, therefore, make sense for PBB not to take all into its fold, leaving the rest to join any of the other parties in the state BN," the sources added.

PBB is a Malay, Melanau and Dayak-based party.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini 's Sarawak-based stringer.