Making his first visit to a longhouse in Sri Aman - about 200km southeast of Kuching - after the dissolution of state assembly, Anwar had yesterday urged Iban voters to reject a certain party sponsored by BN to split the opposition votes.
While he did not name the party, it was clear that he was referring to Snap.
"Two years ago, there was a party which was dying but now suddenly it wants to contest here and there. Where does the money come from?
"Who gave them the money? The party is to split the opposition votes," Anwar told some 50 Iban folks this afternoon at Rumah Ayok, Pakit B, which falls under the state seat of Bukit Begunan.
"The DAP, PAS and PKR are here to fight against BN," he added, leaving out Snap.
Earlier in another ceramah at Mulugu, which is also located in Bukit Begunan constituency, Anwar claimed that the "dying party" was sponsored by BN.
"It is sponsored by BN to divide Iban, Malay, Chinese, Bidayuh, Melanau and others. It does not want to see unity among different ethnic communities," Anwar told some 20 PKR Iban supporters at Rumah Ujan.
Anwar's statement was seen as a signal that the negotiation between PKR and Snap is close to a complete breakdown.
It is no surprise that Anwar is launching pre-emptive strike at Snap, especially in Iban areas, because Snap - which produced the first Sarawak chief minister - is still highly regarded among the elder Ibans.
PKR votes would be significantly reduced should it engage in a three-cornered fight with Snap.
Bukit Begunan is one of the many Iban-majority seats that both PKR and Snap have set their eyes on at the April 16 state election.
Seat negotiation hits a brick wall
Meanwhile, Snap is believed to field Anthony Belon. Mong Dagang from PRS retained the rural seat in last state election, defeating Snap president Edwin Dundang with 1,007 majority.
Snap, which joined Sarawak Pakatan last year, has been accused of accepting funds from both BN and PKR detractors to split the opposition in the state polls. However, the Dayak party has denied the allegations.
Hours after Anwar's ceramah, Snap held a press conference in Kuching announcing that the party aimed to contest 27 Dayak-majority seats, pushing the electoral pact between the two parties to the brink of collapse.
Snap president Edwin Dundang explained that the seat negotiations with PKR was stalled because the latter had yet to produce its list of candidates and the seats it wishes to contest.
“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." Kuek Ser Kuang Keng
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