Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has issued a show-cause letter to its Balleh division ex-publicity chief Beginda Minda who recently called on Chief Minister Taib Mahmud and Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu to resign.

beginda minda prs 011108 01 The letter - issued to him by the PRS disciplinary committee - asks Beginda to show cause why he should not be expelled from his party. He has 30 days to reply.

Beginda told Malaysiakini that he is prepared to be sacked for speaking out against Taib and Jabu over state government policies, especially concerning land which has not benefitted the Dayak community in Sarawak.

Furthermore, he said the two leaders had been in office for too long and it was time for them to quit and give way to younger people.

In an interview with Mkini.tv on Saturday, Beginda named PRS president Dr James Masing as the best candidate to replace Taib. He also mentioned two other young Dayak leaders - PBB assistant minister Gramong Juna and PBB secretary-general Dr Stephen Rundi.

"If they sack me, I'll accept. No problem," he said today, adding that he understands why the party has to issue the show-cause letter.

"I don't want to say more. When I receive the letter I shall answer it within the stipulated 30 days," he said.

However, he could not accept his party leader's statement that he had been seen more with opposition people than PRS people and that someone was behind him.

"That's not true at all," he said, adding that what he did came from his heart and most Dayaks in Sarawak would agree with what he had said about the plight of the community.

'Someone trying to stab me'

bn supreme council mt meeting sapp sabah issue 190608 taib mahmud Although Taib is trying to brush aside Beginda's call as a trivial matter, it is learnt that he made mentioned the issue during the state Barisan Nasional pre-council meeting, saying that it was akin to 'someone trying to stab him the heart while he is sleeping'.

Some of those present said the chief minister could have directed the remark at Masing who has mentioned to the media that Beginda is a close friend of his.

Taib has so far not publicly commented on the matter.

The outburst from the PRS member closely aligned to Masing has raised questions as to whether all is not well between Masing and Taib and Jabu, who Beginda said should be replaced with Masing as chairperson of a NCR land development agency Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra).

Several Dayak-based NGOs and many participants in Salcra schemes have been critical of the performance of the organization, blaming it on Jabu for his management style and other shortcomings.

Dayaks have long complained about being marginalised under the present BN government and called for a drastic review of some of the policies, especially on land, education, employment and business opportunities.