Digest on Malaysian News

The Sarawak National Party’s (SNAP) despite being in existence for the last 46 years has become irrelevant and turning into a nuisance mosquito. SNAP has been losing members and leaders. It has been broken into pieces and each pieces turned into a arch-rival such as PBDS, STAR, MDC, SPDP and PRS. So instead of being lost in the messy political landscape of Sarawak, might as well as SNAP hardcore members join PKR and become PKR Sarawak representatives.

PKR in Sarawak right now lack good candidates but PKR have the fund. SNAP do have some caliber candidates but the party is broke. So the right choice, is to bury SNAP and join PKR.

So far, PBB is too Malays/Melanaus, SUPP is too Chinese, PRS is too Iban, SPDP is too Iban, DAP is too Chinese.

PKR offer a balance mixed as it not too extreme in their composition of racial members and leadership.

Current leaders of SNAP can continue their political struggle. What political struggle eh ? But they must be prepare to be an outcast and be obliterate into thin air with the emergence of PKR and other stronger opposition parties.

SNAP is mati tidak, hidup tidak. If you can't beat them, join them.


Extract from: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/31/nation/20798272&sec=nation (Mar 31, 2008)

SNAP leaders in favour of dissolving party

KUCHING: The Sarawak National Party’s (SNAP) top leadership is supportive of a proposal to dissolve the 46-year-old Dayak-based party in a move to consolidate the state’s opposition political strength.

Party president Edwin Dundang described the proposal as “a good idea.” “If it is good for the people and country, it is worth to consider,” he told The Star yesterday.

Party secretary-general Stanley Jugol agreed that it was time to consider SNAP’s position – either to continue with its own political struggle or join a bigger group under the opposition alliance or Barisan Rakyat Sarawak.

SNAP has failed in its attempts to make a political comeback after opting out of the Barisan Nasional six years ago. In the recent parliamentary polls, all its three candidates were defeated.

Dundang, who took over the party leadership from Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min (a former deputy chief minister) in 2003, said there were suggestions that the party should consider various options, one of which was to dissolve or merge with other parties, to ensure sustainability in its political struggle.

SNAP has a glorious history as it produced Sarawak’s first chief minister, the late Tan Sri Stephen Kalong Ningkan, in the 1960’s.

Its political influence was significantly weakened in two major political crises in 1993 and 2002.

Dundang said SNAP’s next central executive committee meeting, the date of which has not been fixed, might discuss the party’s dissolution proposal.

On news reports that several SNAP division leaders have applied to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Dundang said he was not aware of this.