The Sarawak National Party (SNAP) has announced its candidates list for the upcoming state elections, despite the fact that its negotiations with Parti Keadilan Rakyat over overlapping seats have yet to be concluded.
SNAP President Edwin Dundang, in a press statement yesterday, announced the list of 27 candidates, three days before nomination day on Wednesday.
He said SNAP regrets that PKR has not commenced negotiations with with the party over the overlapping seats and claimed that the candidate and seat list had been handed over to the Pakatan Rakyat party.
"PKR has been given our total list with names of candidates and constituencies. Till today, we have not received their list which makes it impossible for any negotiations to be pursued.
"In the absence of the above, SNAP believes that PKR either do not have any overlapping seats with SNAP or they have decided that they do not want to negotiate this matter in order for an opposition electoral pact to be a reality," Dundang said in the statement.
He said SNAP has avoided the Malay/Melanau and Chinese-majority constituencies out of respect for the electoral pact, "even though our members have expressed a desire to contest in these areas".
He added that SNAP does not have any problem with DAP and PAS and will urge voters, in constituencies the party is not contesting in, to give their full support to them.
Despite SNAP's failure to conclude negotiations with PKR, Dundang said the party is still hopeful of finding an amicable solution.
Meanwhile, non-governmental organisation Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) has criticised the haphazard manner in which SNAP picked and announced its candidates for the Sarawak elections.
"It goes to show that the party was desperate looking for candidates," MoCS leader Francis Siah said at a press conference yesterday.
He said the party announced the names of the candidates and the constituencies they were going to be fielded in despite the ongoing negotiations with Pakatan Rakyat on seat allocations.
"Some of the persons listed as its candidates did not even know that they had been picked by the party," he said, citing the case of Munan John Andrew who had been named as the candidate for Tamin constituency.
Andrew, who was present at the press conference, confirmed that he was unaware that he had been picked to be a candidate.
"They (SNAP headquarters) just asked me to come to Kuching without telling me what it was for.
"I only realised that I had been chosen after party president Edwin Dundang announced my name on March 22," he said.
When the final list of SNAP candidates was released on Saturday, his name was missing after the party decided against fielding a candidate in the constituency.
The names of four other persons who had been announced as candidates on March 22 were also missing from the final list.
They are Rosnah Mohamad (Jepak), Bakin Jampa (Meluan), Alexius Douglas (Pelagus) and Douglas Alau (Ngemah).
Rosnah was replaced with Ramli Malaka (Jepak) while Labang Jamba took over from Bakin Jampa in Meluan.
The party, however, has decided not to contest in Pelagus and Ngemah.
Siah said SNAP’s motive in announcing the names of candidates was questionable.
"With this kind of action by SNAP, Pakatan Rakyat's plan to have straight fights against the Barisan Nasional in all the 71 seats may not materialise," he said.
Here are the 27 constituencies that SNAP will be contesting in:
1. Stephen Anak Sagir (N. 1 Opar)
2. Frankie Jurem Anak Nyombui (N. 2 Tasik Biru)
3. Richard @ Peter A/L Margaret (N. 16 Bengoh)
4. Ateng Anak Jeros (N. 17 Tarat)
5. Anthony Anak Nais (N. 18 Tebedu)
6. Belayong Anak Jayang (N. 19 Kedup)
7. Dan Giang (N. 25 Balai Ringgin)
8. Ivanhoe Anthony Anak Belon (N. 26 Bukit Begunan)
9. Semijie Anak Janting (N. 28 Engkilili)
10. Joe Anak Unggang (N. 31 Layar)
11. Dayrell Walter Entrie (N. 32 Bukit Saban)
12. Julin Anak Entamin (N. 33 Kalaka)
13. Liman Anak Sujang (N. 34 Krian)
14. Jamal Bin Abdullah @ Tedong Anak Gunda (N. 41 Pakan)
15. Labang Anak Jamba (N. 42 Meluan)
16. Augustine Anak Liom @ August Liom (N. 44 Machan)
17. Adang Anak Jirau (N. 53 Kakus)
18. Toh Heng San (N. 55 Katibas)
19. George Anak Lagong (N. 56 Baleh)
20. John Bampa (N. 57 Belaga)
21. Edwin Dundang Bugak (N. 66 Marudi)
22. Kebing Wan (N. 67 Telang Usan)
23. Lawrence Cosmas Sunang Anak Simpang (N. 69 Batu Danau)
24. Abang Othman Abang Hj Gom (N. 23 Lingga)
25. Ramli Malaka (N. 58 Jepak)
26. Thony Ak Badak (N. 61 Bekenu)
27. Johari Bujang (N. 62 Lambir)
