KUCHING: Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) president Datuk Daniel Tajem has appointed seven new faces to the supreme council to replace the ones whose services were terminated by previous president Datuk Amar Leo Moggie.
Tajem has retained only Paul Kadang from the line-up of his predecessor who resigned as president on Wednesday.
Kadang, a political science graduate, has been promoted party information chief to replace Datuk Dr James Masing.
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RETAINED:Reappointed PBDS treasurer-general Joseph Salang taking his oath at PBDS headquartersbefore Tajem (second from left)in Kuching yesterday. |
Others in Moggies line-up who were retained are secretary-general and Belaga assemblyman Stanley Ajang and treasurer-general and Julau MP Joseph Sallang.
Another slot in the supreme council post would be filled tomorrow. All the positions are appointed by the president.
With the new appointments, more than two-thirds of the members in the 32-seat supreme council are now aligned to Tajem. The others are linked to Dr Masing.
The new appointees, who took their oath of office before Tajem at party headquarters here yesterday, comprised professionals and businessmen. They are Kuala Lumpur-based electrical engineer Ruis Jugah, bank officer Juro Brauh, retired headmaster Brandon Bujang and businessmen Presley Siros, Stephen Randi and Kisun Munang.
Tajem and Dr Masing, who is state Social Development and Urbanisation Minister, are eying the partys top post in next month triennial delegates conference.
Speaking to the appointees, Tajem said they were chosen because of their integrity and foresight to move the party forward.
You were selected based on your representation of the various regions where the party operated in, he added.
Asked to comment on Dr Masings statement that his group did not recognise their termination of service by Moggie and the new council appointments, Tajem replied: My only advice to them is to refer to the party constitution.
Dr Masing said their removal from the supreme council was not properly done, unethical and against the law of natural justice.
Tajem said the supreme council would meet tomorrow to introduce the new appointees and to review preparations for the party polls scheduled for July 26 and 27.
He said although the party constitution required a 14-day notice for the council meeting, there were provisions that in the case of an emergency, a shorter notice could be served.
PBDS is committed to the policies of Barisan Nasional and policies of co-operation among the various communities. The future of PBDS rests with the Barisan and that of the Dayak community at large is very much entangled with the aims and policy of the Barisan, he added.
Tajem said those harbouring the notion that some members of his group were anti-establishment should think otherwise as we are Barisan, and we will sink or swim with Barisan.