The Sarawak National Party (Snap) rebel faction possesses an 'arsenal of weapons' to defend itself should embattled party president James Wong Kim Min and his men attempt to stop this Sunday's extraordinary general meeting, said the faction's de facto leader William Mawan.

The Borneo Post quoted Mawan, who is expected to be chosen by his group as the next party president, as saying there is a possibility Wong's faction is seeking a court order to stop the EGM.

Mawan is currently party vice-president and state minister of environment and public health.

At least 50 out of the 62 party divisions statewide are expected to attend the EGM where a new president and senior vice-president will be elected.

This follows the censure motions at a recent national council meeting against several senior party leaders, including Wong, his eldest son Richard — the party's senior vice-president and assemblyperson for Limbang — and secretary-general Justine Jinggut.

No court application

When contacted today, SNAP deputy secretary-general Edmund Stanley Juggol told malaysiakini the party has not and will not apply for a court order to stop the EGM.

However, he revealed that the party secretary-general spoke to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) yesterday over certain comments attributed to the ROS which appeared in a local newspaper recently.

Edmund, who is also the political secretary to chief minister Taib Mahmud, said the ROS asked that his name not be dragged into the controversy.

He added that the ROS also said he would reply in time to the correspondence he received to the two accounts on what transpired within Snap since the crisis became public in April.

Meanwhile, in the Borneo Post article today, Mawan said he believed that Wong's faction would use what he described as a multi-pronged strategy to try and derail the EGM.

"We have our arsenal of weapons ready but we are not going to tell," he said at a dinner in Miri for Snap northern region divisions.

Also present were Snap vice-president and Assistant Tourism Minister Peter Nyarok, Marudi state assemblyperson Sylvester Entri Muran, Baram member of parliament Jacob Sagan Dungau Sagah, divisional leaders and delegates from northern Sarawak.

Rescue day

At the gathering, Sylvester Entri said '811' (Aug 11) is the best day to save the party and unite all members.'

Describing it as 'Rescue Day', he called on all delegates from every division to attend the meet in order to end the leadership crisis.

In a related development, Snap headquarters in a notice published in today's local newspapers labelled the meet which will be held at the Rajah Court Regency Hotel in Kuching as 'illegal and unconstitutional'.

"All bona fide members of the party are advised not to attend this illegal meeting as it had not been properly convened in accordance with the party's constitution. The so-called EGM was not convened by the party's headquarters.

"All matters that may be transacted at this so-called EGM on Aug 11, 2002 will therefore be illegal and of no effect," read the notice signed by seceratry-general Justine Jinggut.

The notice also warned that any member who attends the meeting may face disciplinary action.

It added that the party has directed all divisions to hold their respective triennial general meetings in preparation for the party's triennial general assemblyscheduled for Feb 2003.