Describing the accusation as a “fabrication of the worst order”, Snap secretary-general Stanley Jugol said there was “never” any meeting between Snap leaders and Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan.
“There has also been no meeting with any BN representatives to negotiate any arrangement.
“The article is naughty and vicious,” he said, alluding to online blog Sarawak Report’s latest posting “Snap’s deal with BN”.
The article claimed that a secret plot was being hatched in Kuala Lumpur to use Snap as a vehicle to oust Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, break up the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (read PKR) pact and form a new BN coalition with another leader who would continue to represent peninsula interests.
Jugol said the article was “designed to weaken Snap” as the party prepared for the upcoming state election.
“The real truth is that Snap is an independent party. Our objective is to unite the native peoples, particularly the Dayaks, under a single political umbrella,” Jugol said in a statement yesterday.
He claimed the online report had made “a number of scurrilous remarks”.
“First, it (report) said that we are demanding all winnable seats. This is just hogwash. From whom are we demanding these seats?
“Why should we want seats just because they are considered winnable?
“Second, the writer said that the party is duplicitous because after winning those seats, Snap will go to BN.
“What does he take Sarawakians for? Simpletons? He is being downright malicious and dishonest when he said that Snap wants to go that route.
“Doesn’t he know that to go to the BN fold, a party will have to get proper consent from its members and the concurrence of each and all of the parties which are already in BN?
“Thirdly, writer said that ‘Snap is now the safe deposit box for Umno-BN government’. What safe deposit box is he talking about?” Jugol asked.
Not a Pakatan partner
Jugol described the report as a “tired and worn-out gimmick” aimed at “confusing” Sarawakians.
He also said that Snap was no longer a “genuine partner” in the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
“We have said time and again that Snap, while strictly not a formal member of Pakatan, is willing to work with Pakatan in Sarawak.
“But the basis of this collaboration with Pakatan has always been whether Pakatan could help enhance the interest of the party and that of Sarawakians.
“Why should we work with any organisation that compromises the interests of Sarawak? ” he asked.
Jugol also denied claims that Snap was ready to pay for PKR candidates to join the party.
“It is a nonsensical and irresponsibel statement. The statement is designed to create confusion, cast the party in a bad light and depict PKR people as ready for sale. This is an outrageous view,” he said.
Jugol also chided the report for accusing Snap of being a “fake opposition”.
“For Sarawakians who are party members and who have suffered badly for years when their party was deregistered and were deprived of their political vehicle, it was surely not fake suffering, ” he said.
He also slammed claims that former minister Leo Moggie was involved in the secret plot.
“Moggie is working hard as chairman of a government-linked company in Kuala Lumpur. We are sure that he has no time for such petty politicking and character assassination.
“We also categorically say that we are not part of any plot,” he said. FMT Staff
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