Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dr James Masing said his group, on the advice of their lawyers, interpreted his action in sacking the six principal office-bearers of the party differently from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) in the context of the party constitution.

Masing had relied on Article 1X where it is stated that dismissal of office bearers appointed by the president is permitted. A lawyer familiar with the party constitution however said that Article 1X cannot be read in isolation and must be read in conjunction with other relevant provisions in the constitution

In the Sept 8 letter, addressed to the secretary-general Sidi Munan, with copies to Masing as president and Masing's rival Sng Chee Hua as deputy president, the ROS said Masing was wrong as he had contravened Article V111, Section 15B of the constitution by not giving the six 14 days' notice.

Masing also said the threat of de-registration facing PRS might be construed as the Dayak community being marginalised of their political aspirations.

He cited the de-registration of Sarawak National Party (Snap), Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) and the refusal of the authorities to register the Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC) and the possibility of PRS being de-registered.

In responding to Masing's comments on the ROS letter, Sidi thanked the ROS for clearing the confusion over the validity of Masing's act of dismissing the six party officials.

"We accept the decision of the ROS and hope that Masing and his boys would accept it too," he said in a statement.

Sidi said as secretary-general he would take the responsibility to provide all that is necessary to prevent PRS from being de-registered.

"I shall accept this responsibility dutifully and with care in the interest of the party," he added.

Desperate attempt

Sidi said Masing's statement as reported in the local media about the ROS' letter being 'tricky and ambiguous' should not arise. "There is nothing tricky or ambigious about the letter."

He added that the letter is coped to Masing as the official in that organisation who violated the PRS constitution (Article V111 Clause 15(b).

The PRS secretary-general said in his confused state of mind, Masing had also resorted to raise the issue of Dayak marginalisation (in politics).

"Playing with racial issues is like playing with fire. It is a sign of a desperate attempt to get political support which is dwindling fast," he said.

Meanwhile, Snap deputy president Justine Jinggut told malaysiakini that "Masing is trying to blackmail the government by saying the Dayaks are being marginalised and by blaming the problems within his party on the authorities."

"It is a very unfair statement to try and drag the Dayak community and using the community as a shield from his own wrong-doing in the party," he added.

Jinggut said the de-registration of Snap and PBDS was the result of leadership tussles within the parties and had nothing to do with the Dayak community as a whole.