Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dr James Masing has been 'sacked' from the party by his opponents led by deputy president Sng Chee Hua.

However, whether the sacking is legally binding on not will depend on the outcome of the dispute which is now before the court. The Registrar of Societies is expected to act on the court decision.

The decision on Masing was made last night at a supreme council (SC) meeting chaired by Sng against a background of worsening crisis in the party after the Sng faction went to court to apply for an injunction to stop the party elections being organised by their rival faction in Sibu on Dec 2.

Masing, the state land development minister, was given a show-cause letter as to why he should not be expelled as a PRS member and given an opportunity to appear (last night) before the party's disciplinary committee on four charges against him. But he failed to turn up.

They included breaching the party constitution in terminating the appointment of six principal office-bearers without giving them any show-cause letter and calling for the Dec 2 meeting when he (Masing) is not authorised to do so as he had earlier been 'censured' as party president.

To inform PM, CM

In a statement, the party's secretary-general Sidi Munan said the SC also decided to expell Masing as a member for acting allegedly against the interests of PRS and the Barisan Nasional during the May state elections, especially in Pelagus where the BN candidate was Larry Sng.

Larry, a state assistant minister, is Chee Hua's son.

Sidi said the SC had directed him also to inform Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud of the council's decision to sack Masing from the party.

However, under the constitution Masing could re-apply after a year to come back to the party as a member, he added.

A Masing aide said last night that the PRS president would not recognise the decision to sack him as it had been decided only by less than half of the supreme council members.