Sarawak National Party (Snap) president Edwin Dundang today accused Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud of making many unfulfilled promises which he described as "empty shells and unpaid debt to the people of Sarawak" within the last 23 years he has been in power.

"The promises made by the chief minister have been many but many remain just promises, as by his own admission recently, in a newspaper he still needs a long time to fulfil those promises," he said in a statement.

Responding to Abdul Taib's criticisms against Snap which was made in Bintulu yesterday, the Snap president pointed out that he did not ask the chief minister to resign.

Abdul Taib (left) has accused his critics, mainly Snap leaders, who had urged him to resign, saying that they were "meddling with very destructive and destabilising political ideologies."

"When unveiling our party election manifesto recently, we merely said that when he decides to step down, (Alfred) Jabu should take over," Dundang explained.

Jabu is Taib's deputy both in his Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) and in the state cabinet.

"We never asked him to resign. Maybe someone else did," Dundang added.

How much time?

Abdul Taib had said his wife and family would be happy if he retired, but he had been asked to stay on by his Barisan Nasional colleagues and state leaders.

On that, Dundang (right) asked: "How much time Taib needs to fulfill his promises to the people."

"How long (a time)? Now today, he and his BN people are going round the state making promises. But when will he implement them. When he steps down, he will leave behind a mountain of empty shells."

The Snap chief also accused the chief minister of using his "Politics of Development" slogan as a tool to manipulate politics and divide the people.

"Snap has been the victim of manipulation. Many others, particularly smaller businessmen in Sarawak, have also suffered. To politicise development is undemocratic and more so when it is being abused to benefit only a few and marginalise others.

"'If this slogan is good, why is it that no other states or countries are adopting it?' he asked.