The five partyless elected representatives from Sarawak have not given up hope of being eventually accepted into Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) led by Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

"We will continue knocking on PBB doors," Deputy Foreign Minister Joseph Salang, the Julau MP and one of the five told malaysiakini today in response to Taib's comments on Monday that they should consider the options of either joining Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) or Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

Salang said he and the other four - Kanowit MP Aaron Dagang, Lubok Antu MP Jewah Gerang and state assemblypersons Stanley Ajang (Belaga) and Gabriel Adit ( Ngemah) - had agreed to join PBB en bloc.

According to sources, they are not without support from within PBB. The sources told malaysiakini that however the 'stumbling blocks' are PBB deputy president (Pesaka wing) and Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu, and PBB Youth leader and Deputy Transport Minister Douglas Uggah.

Jabu has also publicly stated it will be better for the five to join PRS which is led by their esrtwhile political foe in PBDS Dr James Masing, the state Land Development Minister.

Uggah told malaysiakini recently that he had invited the Salang group to join PBB when PBDS was de-registered "but they spurned the offer, saying they had another alternative".

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had also given the green light for them to join the party of their first choice.

Salang admitted that Taib had mentioned SPDP to him when they met recently.

SPDP president William Mawan, who is also state Social Development Minister, was quoted in local newspapers as saying that his party would always open its doors to the five.

PRS stakes claim

Masing was also quoted in local newspapers yesterday as saying that PRS, which he described as the successor to PBDS, had the right to the five seats no matter which BN party the five eventually joined.

Commenting on this, Salang said that Masing and his group had wanted the five seats even before PBDS was de-registered.

Of immediate concern is the two state seats of Belaga and Ngemah as the candidates will have to be decided before the state election takes place next year.

Since parliamentary elections are held separately in Sarawak and not due till 2009, Salang's position as deputy minister is a separate issue and is the prerogative of the prime minister.

At worst, he and the other two MPs (Aaron and Jewah) can sit out their parliamentary terms till they expire, unless they resign earlier as MPs.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini 's Sarawak-based stringer.