The prime-movers behind a new Dayak party, the Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC), have decided to file a court order to compel the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to explain its reasons for the long delay in deciding on the opposition party's application for registration.

This was decided at a meeting earlier this week chaired by MDC pro-tem chairperson Nicholas Bawin and attended by 12 other pro-tem committee members as well as their legal advisers.

It followed Bawin's meeting with the powerful ROS in Putrajaya last Friday when the MDC chief was informed that the process of screening of the congress' pro-tem committee members was still going on.

"This means it takes about a month to screen each and every member of the pro-tem committee," MDC pro-tem information chief told malaysiakini . "The ROS must have the most inefficient civil servants in the country, and you can quote me on that."

But he believed the real reason was that the ROS has no power to decide on the matter and that some 'outside' people had a hand in delaying the approval, including those objecting to the use of the word Dayak in the name of the proposed party.

Dayak refers collectively to the non-Muslim indigenous groups in Sarawak such as the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu, and they comprise about 45 percent of Sarawak's 2.5 million population.

In Parliament recently, when responding to queries raised by DAP Bandar Kuching member of Parliament Chong Chieng Jen, the Home Affairs Ministry parliamentary secretary explained the delay was due to what he called 'technical problem'.

Tawie said he believed the word Dayak was the problem mentioned as the Sarawak state government had made a move to do away using that word.

"We don't know why certain people are scared of the word Dayak," he said, adding that the Dayak only form a minority ethnic group in Malaysia. "They cannot be a political threat."

Obtaining the ROS registration is crucial for MDC, as the new party will then able to field candidates in the upcoming state elections in Sarawak expected to be held soon.

Dayak seats vulnerable

Meanwhile, former deputy chief minister and president of the defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) Daniel Tajem told malaysiakini that he could not "deny or confirm" reports that he would be contesting in the Bukit Begunan state seat.

The seat is presently held by rival Parti Rakyat Sarawak's (PRS) Mong Dagang, who won the seat under the BN-PBDS ticket in the last state elections.

Tajem was the elected representative in Bukit Begunan, formerly known as Lingga-Sebuyau, for 23 years. He lost the seat to BN-Snap's Donald Lawan in 1987.

Tajem, a former Malaysian envoy to New Zealand, is seen as a strong inspiration behind MDC, which is made up mainly of former PBDS and Snap members.

He said the state elections would not be held until the end of the state government's term in October 2006. Speculation is rife that Chief Minister and state BN chairperson Abdul Taib Mahmud will call for elections on March 27 next year.

An independent political study group has assessed, based on current sentiments, that Dayak-based opposition groups could at best win five to six Dayak seats, and at worst one to two seats, with vulnerable seats being those currently being held by Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

The seats have been identified as Batang Ai, Bukit Begunan, Balai Ringin (new state seat), Tamin, Batu Danau and Ba'kelalan.

Key opposition party in the state, DAP, is said to be certain to retain Chinese-majority Kidurong and possibly win Padungan in Kuching and one seat in Sibu.