The Sarawak National Party (Snap) has decided to contest the Ba'kelalan state by-election scheduled for Sept 18.

Disclosing this after the party's central executive committee (CEC) meeting in Kuching this afternoon, Snap president Edwin Dundang (photo left) told malaysiakini that "we are defending the seat."

The seat was won by Dr Judson Tagal on a BN-Snap ticket in the 1996 state election. He won the seat uncontested in the 2001 state election.

Judson who was killed in a helicopter crash on July 12 and all other elected representatives of the party formed the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) after Snap was de-registered.

Snap has won a reprieve after the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted it leave to apply for a judicial review of the Registrar of Societies' decision in de-registering the party two years ago. In the meantime, the court has ordered a stay of the ROS' decision.

Edwin said a committee headed by deputy president Justine Jinggut will make recommendations on the best possible candidate who, he added, must meet certain criterias, including suitability and acceptance to the local voters.

Potential candidates approached

At the same time, he said, today's CEC meeting also decided to equip party members with 100 cameras and 50 tapes to record evidences of any corrupt practices in view of rampant cases of money politics in the past.

He said the party had approached a number of potential candidates and other potential ones had yet to be contacted. "That will be the job of Justine Jinggut to make the necessary recommendations with the final choice to be endorsed by the CEC," Edwin said.

With Snap's decision to contest the by-election, this means the by-election on Sept 16 will proceed with the BN fielding a candidate nominated by SPDP but yet to be named defending the seat for the BN against Snap.

There is a possibility that the by-election may see a three or even four-cornered contest if BN and Snap's choices as candidates do not go down well with the largely Lun Bawang electorate in Ba'kelalan.