A rival faction of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), led by state assistant minister Larry Sng, is going on a roadshow which will kick off with a big gathering in Sibu in central Sarawak on Aug 1.

It expects 18 out of the 28 party's divisions to gather in Sibu to hear faction leaders speak on current issues facing the party and the state, according to the faction's secretary-general Sidi Munan.

This was decided at a meeting at the party headquarters in Green Height, Kuching yesterday afternoon.

Divisional chiefs or representatives of 13 out of the 18 divisions said to be aligned to the faction attended the meeting, chaired by the faction's deputy president and former member of parliament for Sri Aman, Jimmy Donald.

They have refused to recognise Dr James Masing ( right ), the state land development minister, as party president in spite of a recent letter from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) recognising him as the rightful leader.

Sng ( left ), an assistant minister and the ‘other’ PRS president, has been embroiled in a leadership tussle with Masing and his group for the past two years.

Sidi told Malaysiakini today that his faction had received a letter from their rival faction's secretary-general Wilfred Nissom asking for information on the party held by the faction.

“As far as we are concerned, that is a letter from a member of the party and we are not obliged to release the information that has been sought because he has no locus standi to ask for it.”

It is learnt that Nissom, a Masing's right-hand man, has asked for the party's membership files as part of the preparations for a triennial delegates conference.

All records on membership are kept at the officially-recognised party headquarters in Green Height controlled by the Sng faction.

Due to the dispute, the party has been operating with two presidents and two separate headquarters.

No deregistration

After explanations from the party to the ROS' show-cause letter, the authorities have decided not to go ahead and deregister the party, which is largely rural-based Dayaks.

Instead it is expected to call for fresh elections, likely to be early next year, to elect new leaders for PRS, which is a component party of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition,

Sidi also told Malaysiakini that he will lead one of the roadshows while several other faction leaders including Jimmy Donald will heading other roadshows to meet up with all the party divisions ahead of the crucial TDC likely to be held early next year.

“We consider ourselves as very much part of the Barisan Nasional and during the roadshows we will be going around to speak to our members to assuage their unhappiness on a number of issues, including the increases in fuel and food prices, which have created a great deal of hardships,” he added.

PRS has eight state assemblypersons and six members of parliament, most of whom are aligned to the Masing faction.