The two rival factions in Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) have accepted a Barisan Nasional’s compromise formula to include Deputy Foreign Minister Joseph Salang Gandum in its list of six parliamentary candidates to stand on BN ticket.

Salang, partyless since the de-registration of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) three years ago, is the incumbent for the Julau parliamentary seat.

The factions, one led by State Minister of Land Development, Dr James Masing and the other by Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Larry Sng, have also endorsed the BN’s decision to include the incumbent for Kanowit Aaron Dagang in its common list of candidates for the March 8 general election.

Unlike Salang, Aaron, a close relative of former federal minister and former PBDS president Leo Moggie, chose to join the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) after PBDS was de-registered. He is a member of its supreme council.

The acting secretary-general aligned to the PRS’ Sng-led faction Audie Chua told Malaysiakini his faction was happy to abide with the BN leadership’s decision to include both Salang and Aaron on our list of candidates.

"We are part of Barisan Nasional and will abide by the decision," he added.

Request from CM

Likewise, a Masing-led faction’s supreme council member Tedewin Ngumbang said his faction had no problem to accommodate the duo.

"We’ve always wanted to include them in our list," he told Malaysiakini.

Meanwhile, Salang has confirmed he was joining PRS although he would not be formally applying. He said Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud told him during the recent Chinese New Year that he (Taib) had asked PRS to include him and Aaron’s names on its list of candidates.

The remaining four PRS parliamentary seats are expected to be filled by incumbents.

They are Jimmy Doland (Sri Aman), Jawah Gerang (Lubok Antu), Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Joseph Entulu (Selangau) and Billy Abit Joel (Hulu Rajang).

Earlier both factions had separate lists which included new names to replace some of the incumbents.