The excitement appears to be going out of the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) convention, even before it is held in September.

The party, which forms the backbone of the Sarawak Barisan Nasional, may not see contests for top posts if divisions take the cue from a unanimous resolution adopted by the Layar division in Betong at a meeting on Saturday.

Led by party deputy president (for the Pesaka wing) and deputy chief minister Alfred Jabu, the division called for those in posts from vice-president upwards to be returned unopposed at the convention to be held in Miri.

The resolution is significant in a number of ways.

Jabu, who is regarded as the de facto Dayak leader in the government, is the main advisor on Dayak affairs to Chief Minister and party president Abdul Taib Mahmud.

He also controls, directly or otherwise, 25 Dayak (Iban/Bidayuh/Orang Ulu) divisions of the party's 62 divisions.

As such, the remaining PBB Dayak divisions - which have yet to hold their delegates' meetings and elections - are expected to follow suit and pass similar resolutions.

Of the five PBB Bidayuh divisions which have already met, only the Tarat division - headed by Roland Sagah, who is known to be close to senior vice-president Adenan Satem, has taken a different stand on the matter of contests.

Eager beavers

The no-contest resolution is also in line with the consensus reached among leaders at the recent supreme council meeting chaired by Taib.

One of the Bidayuh divisions - Kedup, led by Frederick Bayoi Manggie - has gone one step further. It has called for the posts of vice-presidents not to be opposed, even if there are replacements for those who are stepping down to make way for others.

Frederick said the division wants the same leaders to take the party forward, adding that a contest for the top posts could endanger party unity.

Taib has reportedly announced that three senior party leaders - senior vice-president Celestine Ujang and vice-presidents Dr Sulaiman Daud and Stephen Wan Ullok - will step down to make way for younger leaders, but was not certain if there would be contests for these posts.

Political observers said the maneuvering within the party must be seen in the contest of a large number of the young leaders who aspire to fill various slots in the top echelon.

"It is interesting to note that even when the top leaders have more or less decided there will not be contests for the top posts, there are still people trying to angle for those positions," one noted.

"Because there are more interested candidates than posts available, naturally some people are being targeted. Those thought to be aligned to (deputy president) Abang Johari Tun Openg appear to be most vulnerable."

Party treasurer Awang Tengah Ali Hasan is seen as a fast-rising politician who, according to some party members, is even eyeing a senior vice-president's post.

That is on the assumption that Adenan, whom he supports, takes on Johari for the deputy president's post to avenge his defeat in 1998.

But Adenan himself seems resigned to the fact that there is a likelihood there will no contest for the top posts.

"He has his hands on the wheel, but looks like he is either shifting into low or reverse gear," said a political analyst, who believes that Taib has probably has made it clear now that he does not want a contest that may split the party.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini's Sarawak-based stringer.