A surprise at the Parti Rakyat Sarawak's (PRS) supreme council meeeting chaired by faction leader Larry Sng in Kuching this afternoon was the attendance of the independent Ngemah state assemblyperson Gabriel Adit.

Adit, a nephew of former federal minister Leo Moggie, was seen seated next to deputy secretary-general Audie Chua at the meeting held at the party's headquarters in Green Heights near Kuching International Airport.

Later, he told reporters he was present at the meeting as 'a friend and an observer.'

But to political observers, it is a clear indication that Adit, a three-term state assemblyperson who has been partyless since the de-registration of PBDS, has decided to support the PRS group led by Sng, the Pelagus state rep and assistant minister in the Chief Minister's Department.

Adit defeated BN candidate Alexander Vincent, proposed by the other PRS faction led by Dr James Masing, in the state election last year.

Adit also told reporters that he is not a member of PRS but hoped to re-join the BN when PRS and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), led by Social Development Minister William Mawan, merged.

Two months ago, the Lubok Antu Member of Parliament Jawah Gerang, formerly of PBDS, joined PRS through the Sng faction and is now a member of the party's supreme council.

'Nothing wrong'

Asked to comment on Adit's presence at the meeting, Sng said anyone would be welcomed to visit the party headquarters and even to aply to join the party.

On Adit's application to re-join the BN through PRS, the party would need to go through the Barisan Nasional supreme council to discuss the matter and the decision rests entirely with Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

"I think there is nothing wrong in working together with all elected representatives if it's for the good of the party and people," Sng added.

Sng also disclosed that a 6-member merger committee headed by the PRS faction's deputy president Jimmy Donald has been formed to start negotiations with SPDP, possibly as early as the first week of November.

According to him, with parliamentary elections expected soon, there is an urgency for such a meeting not only to discuss merger but also other issues relating to co-operation among BN components.

With Adit throwing his support for the Sng-led faction, the group now has two MPs (Jimmy Donald and Jawah Gerang, both Iban) and two state reps (Sng and Adit).

Speculation is that the remaining PBDS' partyless MP Joseph Salang, who is also deputy foreign minister, may now consider joining PRS through the Sng faction.

The other PRS faction led by Masing has two MPs and six state reps, including Masing who is also state land development minister.