SNAP needs to strengthen itself before allying

KUCHING-- The Sarawak National Party (SNAP), which today elected Edmund Stanley Jugol as its new president, would strengthen itself before making any alliance with other parties.

Speaking to reporters after the party's triennial general assembly (TGA) here, he said it would be pointless for the party to join either the Barisan Nasional or the opposition pact, for now.

"For the time being, we like SNAP to be just SNAP," he said.

Nevertheless, he did not rule out the possibility of becoming an ally to either of the two coalitions in the future.

"There is no denying that at some point in time, we might be in the government, too. We cannot be a party alone all the time," said Edmund.

On SNAP's preparation for the upcoming general election, he said the party's participation would be determined by its financial resources and ground strength.

In the election held at the TGA, Edmund was elected to helm the party to take over from Edwin Dundang Bugak who declined to seek re-election.

The others elected were Kebing Wan (deputy president), Johnny Wong Sie (senior vice-president) and seven vice-presidents in Frankie Jurem Nyombui (also appointed as secretary-general), Dayrell Walter Entyrie, Anthony Liman Sujang, Dan Giang, Rolan Teo, Malachie Dennis Ningkan and Melissa Anne Inddu.

Two appointed vice-presidents were Augustine Liom and Abang Othman Abang Gom, while Datuk Seri Dennis Chang Foh Onn was appointed treasurer-general.

-- BERNAMA
----------------------------------------------more---------------------------

Jugol takes charge of ailing SNAP
Joseph Tawie

The newly elected Sarawak Nasional Party team will focus on 'fighting for the rights of the Sarawak people.

KUCHING: Sarawak National Party (SNAP), which gave the state its first chief minister in the person of Stephen Kalong Ningkan, is aiming to rebuild its tattered image under the stewardship of its new president Stanley Jugol.

That it is a herculean task has not escaped Jugol and his newly elected central executive committee members.

“I have a tough task ahead. The party has split a couple of times and members have left the party.

“But I have a very good team which is a mixture of experienced people like Daniel Tajem who can give sound advice and the former president Edwin Dundang and qualified people like lawyers to help me.

“We will have something like an ‘inner circle’ to discuss the way forward. It will be a collective decision,” Jugol said.

Following the split with Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) in November 2002, SNAP was deregistered, and for eight years it had been in the political doldrums while waiting for its appeal to the court against the decision of the Registrar of Societies.

It was only given a new lease of life on June 23, 2010.

This weekend the party’s triennial general assembly (TGA) saw only 46 delegates, a far cry from the 2,000 who attended its TGA at the peak of its glory.

“Our immediate task is to strengthen our divisions. Delegates attending the TGA have been told to regularise their divisional committees and to recruit more members.

“After the divisions have been set up, then we will visit them,” he said, adding that the party is going to restructure only 32 divisions.

“We must start afresh as we cannot rely on the old membership,” he added.

SNAP supports Borneo Agenda

On the party’s mission and vision, Jugol said that being a local-based party, SNAP will fight and defend the rights of the local people, especially the poor and the marginalised.

“For the time being, we would like SNAP to be just SNAP. Our struggle is genuinely to fight for the rights of the Sarawak people, unlike some peninsula-based parties which may not understand the aspirations and problems of the local people.

“They are not genuinely looking after our interests,” he said, referring to PKR, DAP and PAS.

Jugol said that if the party becomes a force to be reckoned with in the future, then SNAP might join forces in future either with Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Rakyat.

“We cannot be a party alone all the time, because we support a two-party system. We cannot be the third party out.

“But for now, we have to strengthen the party first,” he said.

Jugol said that SNAP subscribed to the Borneo Agenda as espoused by the Sabah chapter of State Reform Party (STAR) as there are many things in the 18-point Malaysia Agreement that have not been fulfilled.

“Those are our rights and we have to fight for them. We can be aggressive and we can also be diplomatic.

“We will pursue those rights together with our Sabah friends as both of us feel that we have been deprived of our rights due to the non-fulfilment of the agreement,” he said.

During the TGA, Jugol was elected unopposed as president of the party after Dundang, who had been president for eight years, stepped down.

Nyumboi is secretary-general

Also elected were former Telang Usan assemblyman, Kebing Wan, as deputy president and businessman Johnny Wong Sie Lee as senior vice-president.

Five vice-presidents were elected, and they were Frankie Jurem Nyumboi, Dayrell Walter Enteri, Anthony Liman Sujang, Dan anak Giang and Roland Teo Yuk Tong.

Augustine Liom and Abang Othman were appointed vice-presidents.

Nyumboi was appointed the secretary-general, while Paul Kadang was made the deputy.

The treasurer-general’post went to Dennis Chang Foh Onn and Entalai Munan was appointed his deputy.

Eleven members of the central executive committee were elected, while seven others were appointed.