SNAP and PKR on collision course

REVELATION: Dundang (in front) making the announcement of the party’s 16 candidates yesterday.

by Johnson K Saai. Posted on March 16, 2011, Wednesday

KUCHING: Sarawak National Party (SNAP) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) look set to clash in the coming state election following SNAP president Edwin Dundang’s announcement that his party would be contesting in 40 constituencies yesterday.

The two opposition parties now cannot avoid contesting against each other and Barisan Nasional in some constituencies as PKR had declared it would be contesting in 52 of the total of 71 state seats.
The situation is expected to worsen as Dundang in releasing the first batch of 16 of the 40 candidates at SNAP headquarters here yesterday said, “As of today we intend to have 40 but lately there have been requests from our members for more and more seats so 40 may not be the end of our intention.”
He added that the announcement of the candidates although the date for the polls had yet to be fixed would make it easier for everybody.
“Once the announcement has been made, people on the ground also will be able to move as they know that their candidates are already on the ground.”
Meanwhile, SNAP secretary general Stanley Jugol said the onus was now for other parties in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to discuss with them.
“The announcement was also to tell them that we already have our candidates for the seats concerned.”
The candidates announced by the party yesterday were:
N.1 Opar – Stephen Sagir
N.2 Tasik Biru – Frankie Jurem Nyumboi
N.16 Bengoh – Richard @ Peter M Munai
N.19 Kedup – Belayong Jayang @ Sylvester Belayong
N.23 Lingga – Abang Othman Abang Gom
N.25 Balai Ringin – Dan Gaing
N.28 Engkilili – Semijie Janting
N.31 Layar – Joe Unggang
N.32 Bukit Saban – Dayrell Walter Entrie
N.34 Krian – Antohony Liman Sujang
N.41 Pakan – Jamal Abdullah @ Tedong Gunda
N.44 Machan – Augustine Liom
N.56 Baleh – George Lagong
N.61 Bekenu – Johari Bujang
N.66 Marudi – Edwin Dundang Bugak
N.67 Telang Usan – Kebing Wan
Speaking at a press conference Dundang said as far as they were concerned they were trying to avoid clashes with other opposition but admitted that there were bound to be clashes.
Clearly referring to PKR he said: “They bound to be clashes. They clash with SNAP, they clash with DAP (Democratic Action Party), they clash with PAS (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia)”.
“But as far as SNAP is concerned we don’t know where their 52 seats are. We only know four already announced by them.
“So far as we are concerned we want them to know that we are announcing 16 seats and hopefully we will not clash with them,” he said.
Dundang said that the problem however, will not dampen the spirit of the oppositions but instead strengthening it because people on the ground would know and be ready for the battle.
The party’s advisor Dato Sri Daniel Tajem and a majority of the candidates together with other senior party leaders were among those present during the press conference yesterday.