SNAP joins forces with Jeffrey

KUCHING: Sarawak National Party (SNAP) has thrown its support behind Jeffrey Kitingan’s United Borneo Front (UBF).

Confirming the party’s commitment to the UBF agenda, SNAP president Edwin Dundang said : “Their (UBF) demands are in line with the Malaysia Agreement.

“As far as I understand, one of the things Jeffrey wants to do is establish a conformity agreement with us to ensure that what was agreed to when Malaysia was formed must be followed.”

Admitting to having met Jeffrey, a former PKR vice-president, in Miri recently, Dundang said SNAP was “party to the Malaysia Agreement” in 1963 and it will now “be a boon for Pakatan Rakyat and the two-party system in Malaysia.”

“SNAP was a party to the Malaysia Agreement and I can say proudly that without SNAP there can never be Malaysia at that time.

“SNAP’s peaceful rise will be a boon for Pakatan and the two-party system in Malaysia,” he added.

Dundang was speaking to the press after chairing the first meeting of the party’s central working committee (CWC) this year.

He said the CWC had decided on several new appointments aimed at “injecting new blood” into the party.

He announced the appointments of professionals to hold key posts in the party as part of a move to rebrand SNAP.

Among the new officials are a former treasurer-general of the defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), Anthony Liman.

Liman, a lawyer, has been appointed SNAP vice-president who is also responsible for communications.

Another lawyer, Augustine Liom, was also appointed vice-president. He will also head the party’s policy bureau which includes land issues.

Former executive secretary of PBDS, Paul Kadang, has been appointed as deputy secretary-general of SNAP. He is also director of operations.

SNAP rebrands itself

Former Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) member, Patrick Saging, has been appointed a CWC member. Saging, who was a member of PBB for 18 years, will now hold the post of director of strategy in SNAP.

“We have decided to make new appointments by injecting new blood and appointing experienced people to help strengthen the party’s machinery.

“We urge our members throughout the state to cooperate with our new appointees to strengthen SNAP. It will also mean unity for our people.

“And equally important, it will also mean that Sarawak’s multi-ethnic voice could be heard not only at the local level but at the national one as well,” Dundang said.

He hoped that 2011 will see the rise of the party after being in political wilderness for the past eight years.

Stessing that “SNAP is for all”, Dundang said the party was open to all who shared in its struggle.

He added that SNAP would be holding roadshows and symposiums in the next few weeks to sell the “new” SNAP to the people, especially the Dayaks who are not members of any of the Pakatan component parties.

“Our target is the more than 100,000 hardcore members of the defunct PBDS who have remained partyless after the party was de-registered on Oct 24, 2004. SNAP itself now has more than 100,000 members,” he siad.

Meanwhile, Liman said that the party would be visiting branches and meeting members to get them to support SNAP candidates in the coming state election and support Pakatan candidates in other constituencies.

“We urge our members in the state to make themselves available to meet the party’s leaders when they visit their respective areas.

“It is important that our members be made aware of the latest political developments in the state,” he said.