Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Selangau member of parliament Joseph Entulu could be dropped as a candidate for the next parliamentary election if grassroots sentiments hold sway.

Branch leaders of two other Barisan Nasional component parties - Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Sarawak United People's Party (Supp) - have called for him to dropped on grounds of discriminatory treatment in disbursing development funds for the constituency.

SPDP Tamin branch chairperson Michael Engkail, speaking at a longhouse gathering on Sunday in conjunction with the visit of PRS president Larry Sng, said his area Sekuau has not received a single project.

Entulu ( left ) is aligned to the faction in PRS led by Dr James Masing ( right ), who has been embroiled in a leadership crisis for more than a year. The party is awaiting a decision soon by the Registrar of Societies on which faction is the legitimate one.

Engkail's call was echoed by Supp branch chief Michael Usit who - along with other community leaders - publicly lamented the lopsided and discriminatory distribution of funds.

The local leaders further want PRS Tamin state assemblyperson Joseph Mauh, also aligned to the Masing faction, to step down.

TR Abu anak Bulu, the chief of Rumah Abu which hosted the gathering for more 1,000 people, complained about the withdrawal of a project approved by the MP for the longhouse after the state elections in May last year.

Sng ( photo ) pledged a speedy investigation and appropriate action. He said the party had set up an election committee comprising himself, his deputy Jimmy Donald and the secretary-general to review the eligibility of candidates.

PRS won six parliamentary seats, but only four MPs are currently with the party. Joseph Salang (Julau) remains party-less and Aaron Dagang (Kanowit) is temporarily with SPDP.