Snap to contest 27 seats
(The Sun) – Sarawak National Party (Snap) is ready for a multi-cornered contests in 27 Dayak-majority areas in the upcoming Sarawak State elections, blaming PKR for the failure to reach an agreement on the overlapping claims on seats between the two parties.
Snap secretary-general Stanley Jugol said today the basis of the negotiations between the two parties was for each to show their respective of seats they wanted to contest.
“We gave our list to them, but they did not give theirs to us,” he said at a press conference to announce the names of 27 candidates for the April 16 state elections.
“Based on the list, only then we know where the overlapping claims of seats occurred,” he said,
“Right, we don’t even know in which seats PKR want to contest, but they know where Snap wants to contest,” he added.
Jugol said in their three meetings they had, PKR failed to show the list of seats it wanted to field candidates.
He said despite what had happened, Snap was still hoping to meet PKR leaders over the allocations of seats because of the “little obstacle” along the way.
“We are very determined to fight alongside the Pakatan Rakyat partners against the Barisan Nasional.
“We are still very much committed to PR cause.
“What we are hoping for is that for PKR to steer away from the seats we are going to contest.
“If they are ready to steer away from our seats, then we are ready to face the Barisan Nasional in straight fights in all the 71 seats,” Jugol said.
He, however, said Snap is conceding Batang Ai, Ba’Kelalan, Kemena, Tamin, Ngemah and Pelagus to PKR, all Dayak-majority seats.
Meanwhile, Snap president Edwin Dundang expressed his regret that till today, three days before nomination day, PKR has not commenced negotiations with Snap on overlapping seats.
“PKR has been given our total list with names of candidates and constituencies. Till today, we have not received their list which makes it impossible for any negotiations to be pursued.
“In the absence of the list, SNAP believes that PKR either does not have any overlapping seats with SNAP or it has decided that it does not want to negotiate this matter in order for an opposition electoral pact to be a reality.
“We have been promised that PKR would have announced their decision on March 31.
“However, they had postponed it to Monday (April 4). SNAP finds it difficult on a last minute basis to accommodate any administrative and logistical changes,’ he said.
He said Snap has stayed away from the Malay/Melanau and Chinese-majority constituencies out of our serious intent for an electoral pact, even though our members have expressed a desire to contest in these areas.
“Snap does not have any problem with DAP and PAS and will urge voters, in constituencies we do not contest, to give their full support to these two opposition parties.
“It is sad that an opposition electoral pact, something of utmost importance, is treated in a lackadaisical manner by PKR. It is becoming apparent that PKR does not want an electoral pact with Snap at all.
“Nevertheless, Snap is still hopeful in spite of the stated difficulties, that PKR and SNAP will find an amicable accommodation,” he added.
