The demise of crisis-ridden Sarawak National Party (Snap) appears imminent unless its besieged president James Wong Kim Min shows willingness to recognise the legitimacy of the new party leadership controlled by his opponents.

Short of that, his detractors, led by newly-elected 'president' William Mawan, who is also state minister of environment and public health, are prepared to let Snap dies and form a new party.

Indeed, if the party is to be de-registered by the registrar of society (ROS) next week, Chief Minister and Sarawak Barisan Nasional chief Abdul Taib Mahmud has indicated he could allow the rebel leaders to be 'parked temporarily' in other BN parties while awaiting approval for the registration of a new party.

Snap's fate now rests with the ROS, who has earlier indicated that he would de-register the party on Oct 13 should there be no last-minute compromise between the feuding factions.

On Sept 21, when both rival factions held their respective central executive committee meetings, Mawan made it abundantly clear that he saw only slim prospects for a resolution to the five-month-old party crisis unless Wong was willing to accept them as the legitimate party leaders.

However, at his own press conference an hour later, Wong said he couldn't possibly do that as it would tantamount to recognising something which was done illegally.

'New' president

He was referring to the national council meeting and the extraordinary general meeting that the Mawan group called on June 21 and Aug 11, which resulted in the elevation of a set of new party leaders.

At the rebel's EGM, attended by more than two-thirds of the party delegates from throughout Sarawak, Mawan (photo) was elected as their 'new' president.

Peter Tinggom, who was elected as deputy president at the last triennial general meeting in 2000, remains as deputy president for now, while Mawan appointed Dr Judson Sakai Tagal, the state assistant minister of infrastructure development and communications, as the new secretary-general replacing Justine Jinggut, a Wong stalwart.

Bintulu member of parliament Tiong King Sing, who was sacked from the party by Wong for alleged breach of party discipline and the man who sparked off the party feud, was appointed treasurer.

Wong told malaysiakini today: "How can one expect me to recognise something that is illegal? I cannot go along with that."

During the Sept 21 press conference, Wong was piqued when a reporter asked whether he would still contest for the president post during the party's forthcoming triennial general meeting scheduled in February.

"How many times have I said I would not contest," he fumed, and after a brief pause added, "unless I am forced to do so."

When another reporter asked whether he was putting a condition to stepping down as party chief, Wong replied: "I am already 81 years old. You can read between the lines."

Possible merger

The embattled Snap leader, one of Malaysia's longest-serving politicians, also stressed that he was a fighter, suggesting he is not going to give up so easily.

As far as the Mawan group is concerned, the faction has indicated it will wait for Oct 13 when the all-powerful ROS is expected to make his decision on whether Snap is to be de-registered or whether he will grand the two squabbling teams more time to work out some kind of a compromise.

Malaysiakini understands that one the reasons that has prompted the Mawan group to consider leaving Snap is the unofficial talk of a possible merger between the party and the Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), another state BN component parties.

According to reliable sources, a senior PBDS leader had broached the subject with some of Wong's supporters some time ago.

Wong himself is said to like the idea, having conceded that he and several PBDS leaders were responsible for the split in Snap in the early 1980s.

However, when PBDS president Leo Moggie was approached by Wong's supporters on the merger issue, he indicated his lack of interest in the matter, saying he would soon be an ex-party president.

Moggie, who is minister of energy, telecommunications and multimedia, has told party members he is not offering himself for re-election at next year's party elections.

The Mawan group, according to sources, is said to view such a move with some suspicion, believing that it is part of Wong's plan to strengthen his position in Snap along with that of several other party leaders.

Outcome inevitable

If recent weeks' rhetoric is anything to go by, then there is no sign of any likelihood of a compromise.

"The outcome is quite predictable," said a seasoned political observer.

Meantime, reflecting the continuing split within Snap, Mawan is leading a team of the party's elected representatives, including Dr Judson Tagal and senior vice-president Peter Nyarok, who is also assistant minister of tourism, to help out with the Barisan by-election campaign for the Gaya parliamentary seat in Kota Kinabalu.

The Wong faction will also be sending its own team to Sabah.