Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), formed after the demise of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) in October last year, is still waiting for word on its application to be a member of the Barisan Nasional.

PRS publicity chief Wilfred Nissom told malaysiakini today that "there is still no date fixed for the Barisan Nasional supreme council meeting". The last meeting was held in October last year.

PRS which is headed by state Land Development Minister Dr James Masing, one of the nine elected representatives (six state assemblypersons and three members of Parliament) who are now with the party, has already had its application endorsed by the Sarawak BN in October last year.

Nissom said the party was not really bothered by the delay because its elected representatives were already holding government positions as ministers and assistant ministers.

"We're part of the political power structure," he pointed out. He believed it was a matter of time when PRS would be formally admitted into the BN.

But the delay has led some quarters in the party to raise concern and this, in turn, has led to much speculation on why the BN supreme council has not met for more than eight months to discuss the issue.

Ordinarily, once a new party with a number of elected representatives has the support of a state BN, the party will be formally admitted into the coalition in no time.

"The PRS issue is believed to be connected with the remaining five elected representatives of the defunct PBDS who are still without a party".

Struggle from within

Recently, a group of Dayak professionals, including former PBDS members, applied to form a new party - Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC). Its pro tem committee have quickly invited the five partyless elected representatives to join them if Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) is not willing to accommodate them.

MDC pro tem chairperson Nicholas Bawin also told reporters outside the office of the Registrar of Societies last week that once registered, the new party would apply to join BN.

Commenting on MDC, Nissom said it was still not known whether the party could be registered and the philosophy of the party was unclear.

Nissom disclosed that he had a heart-to-heart talk with Bawin yesterday during which he related his and Dr James Masing's experiences and agony when they were both in the opposition.

"We prefer to continue the struggle for what we believe in from within, rather than to adopt a confrontational posture," he added.

Nissom 59, served a term as state assemblyperson for Bengoh after winning it as an independent candidate in 1983.

A former educationist and now political secretary to the chief minister, Nissom indicated his interest to contest the new predominantly Bidayuh seat of Opar (in Lundu) if PRS was nominated by the BN to represent the constituency.