"Our members are overjoyed. We will be out of the woods soon."

So responded Sarawak National Party's (Snap) newly-elected president Edwin Dundang to news that the Barisan Nasional supreme council is to meet next month to discuss the party's membership status in the ruling coalition.

He was responding to newspaper reports today quoting BN secretary-general Mohamad Rahmat as saying that because of the stay of execution by the Court of Appeal - recently granted to Snap against last November's decision by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to de-register the party - the ruling coalition would have to meet to discuss the matter.

Edwin's first comments when contacted by malaysiakini today were: "We are all overwhelmed by a sense of joy. We will be out of the woods."

'Positive signs'

He and several party leaders had already been buoyed by the 'positive signs' after they met up with the Prime Minister and BN chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad last month.

During the meeting, they gave their version of the story on the party crisis last year, in short explaining to Mahathir there was no good reasons why the ROS should have acted the way it did to de-register Snap.

Malaysiakini learned later that the PM was 'quite apologetic' about what had happened, and added that he and the BN would respect the court's decision.

But it was not clear whether the PM was referring to the final outcome of the court hearing which has been fixed for year-end or the temporary court order preventing the de-registration of Snap as a political party.

Edwin has been adamant that since the stay of execution has been granted by the court, to all intents and purposes the party "should be allowed to function as normal and that it be still treated as a member of the Barisan Nasional."

There is, however, objection from the Snap's breakaway party Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), one of whose vice-presidents Jacob Sagan, the member of parliament for Baram, has been reported in a local English language as saying that "Snap is no longer alive."

Spurned by coalition members

According to several party sources, it is most likely that even before the matter is brought up for discussion at the BN supreme council meeting next month "a broad consensus would have already been obtained from all component parties" before the prime minister makes an announcement on Snap's status in the ruling coalition.

Edwin is said to be looking forward to the reinstatement of the party's position within BN in order to clear a lot of uncertainties, especially when it comes to inviting Snap not only to BN council meetings at state and federal levels, but also to the various assemblies of component parties.

Snap was not included in the invitation list to the just-concluded MCA general assembly. According to Edwin, even in the invitation list for next month's Gerakan general assembly, only its Youth and Wanita heads have been included.

"The main body has not received any invitation. Perhaps this is due to some faulty communication," he complained.

The party lost all its nine elected representatives - five state assemblypersons and four members of parliament - after the breakaway group led by William Mawan formed SPDP.

Another complication if and when Snap returns to the BN fold is the allocation of seats. Edwin has insisted that what belonged to it before should remain as rightly theirs.

Malaysiakini understands from some reliable sources that the BN supreme council is likely to be held within the first week of September soon after Mahathir's return from an overseas trip.