Snap split: Party chief backs PKR, deputy for BN

Is the Sarawak National Party (Snap) heading for another leadership crisis? This time it is between party president Edwin Dundang and deputy Ting Ling Kiew.

It is believed that the dispute erupted over whether Snap should contest in the April 7 by-election for the Batang Ai state seat.

Deputy leader Ting wanted the party to contest and he had the support of other leaders like Johnny Wong, Kebing Wan and Augustine Sating, chair of the Batang Ai Snap division.

But Dundang (left), secretary-general Stanley Jugol and treasurer Larry Linang and other Dayak leaders were against it. In fact, they threw their support for PKR candidate Jawah Gerang.

Following this, a meeting of the Snap central executive committee organised by Ting before nomination day last Sunday was aborted. A vexed Ting then rounded up a group of CEC members to confront Dundang.

In a statement today, Ting expressed full support for incoming premier Najib Abdul Razak.

His meeting with Najib on Tuesday was seen by observers as a last ditch effort to save Snap which has been in limbo since the 2002 crisis that led to its de-registration and paved the way for a legal battle.

At the meeting, Ting conveyed the wishes and hopes of the CEC members to Najib and assured him of their support in the Batang Ai by-election.

Ting claimed that he has the support of the majority of CEC members minus Dundang, Jugol and Linang.

Najib to make announcement

Asked what Najib had said to him, Ting replied: "He said that for him, Snap’s situation is only a technical thing because of the Registrar of Societies. But for BN’s record at the federal level, they never sacked Snap, and Snap has also never resigned from BN.

"So because of the court case, we are in limbo like this," he said.

Ting explained that he sought a meeting with Najib after the majority of CEC members met at an emergency meeting on Monday and threw their support for BN in the by-election.

Dundang was not aware of the meeting as he was campaigning for the PKR candidate in Lubok Antu.

"We are doing this because we love our party and we want to save our party. We don't want to leave BN," Ting said, calling on all Snap members in Batang Ai to support BN.

Meanwhile, Najib is expected to visit Batang Ai in the next few days to campaign for BN candidate Malcom Mussen Lamoh.

The incoming premier is also expected to announce the return of Snap to BN.

Snap was formed on April 10, 1961 by Stephen Kalong Ningkan and in the 1970 elections it captured 18 state and nine parliamentary seats, making it one of the strongest parties at that time.

Crisis after crisis have reduced Snap to a mosquito party with no elected representatives.

Observers feel that Snap's return to the BN fold is certain to trigger another crisis.

Ting may be able to save the party with the help of the incoming prime minister but he is sure to lose its strong and influential Dayak leaders to PKR.