Temporary home found for ex-Snap reps
The Sarawak's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition today agreed to temporary take in the 10 elected representatives of the de-registered Sarawak National Party (Snap) as members of its three remaining component parties Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) "until a more permanent solution is found".
This followed the de-registration of Snap one of Sarawak's oldest political parties by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) yesterday following its failure to resolve its leadership crisis.
The 10 elected representatives comprise six state assemblypersons (including one state minister, William Mawan (photo, left), and two assistant state ministers, Dr Judson Sakai Tagal and Peter Nyarok) and four members of parliament (including deputy federal minister Dr Tiki Lafe).
Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud announced the temporary solution after the state BN supreme council's emergency meeting in Wisma Pelita, Kuching this morning.
He said nine elected representatives supporting the faction led by Mawan had applied to be BN members and had agreed to be parked among the three component parties for the time being.
The only state assemblyperson from the de-registered Snap who had not applied to do so is Richard Wong (Limbang), senior vice-president of the party and eldest son of party president James Wong Kim Min (photo, left).
According to Abdul Taib, Wong junior the only elected representative to be aligned with the Wong faction has also been invited to remain in the BN coalition.
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