SNAP predicts October polls for Sarawak

(The Star) – Sarawak National Party (SNAP) has predicted that the state assembly would be dissolved three months from now to pave way for an early state election.

Deputy president Ting Ling Kiew said the polls would likely be in October although the last state election in 2006 was held in May. The next polls are only due in 2011.

Ting, former Bintulu MP, said Barisan Nasional might opt for early polls because the opposition parties were not well organised now.

Another indication is the frequent visits made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to Sarawak to boost the coalition’s image, he said Friday.

Najib, who was here on a two-day working visit two weeks ago, is scheduled to be in Sibu to close the National Chinese Cultural Festival on Sunday.

Ting said SNAP would not cooperate with Pakatan Rakyat in the next state polls. ’’We are going on our own as SNAP still commands strong support as shown in the recent Batang Ai by-election,’’ he said.

Ting and his supporters had defied SNAP’s leadership and campaigned for Barisan which won in the by-election.

SNAP, which produced Sarawak’s first Chief Minister in the late Datuk Stephen kalong Ningkan, won the Engikili seat in the 2006 polls when the DAP made its biggest inroad by capturing six Chinese-majority seats at the expense of the Sarawak United People Party (SUPP).

PKR won one seat in the 71-seat state assembly.