Sarawak PKR boss Baru Bian says there is no reason for its rival in the opposition, Sarawak National Party (Snap), to blame PKR for the latter's poor showing in the recently concluded state election.

“We had told them frankly that they did not have the support on the ground anymore because they had not been active,” Baru told reporters today.

He said Snap, which had been inactive the last eight years while its case against the Registrar of Societies over its deregistration had been pending in court, had not been prepared for the state election.

“Our views about Snap have been consistent, and this has been proven by the party’s poor performance in the election,” he said.

Baru, who was elected state assemblyperson for Ba’Kelalan, said PKR had been aware of the feelings on the grounds, which Snap leaders had refused to acknowledge.

“They insisted that they must contest in 27 areas, or even up to 40. So when the results were out, we proved ourselves to be correct,” said Bian.

Snap finally contested in 26 seats, and only one of its candidates retained his election deposit.

Snap not realistic

NONE Among Snap leaders who lost their deposits were party president Edwin Dundang ( left ) in Marudi, vice-president Anthony Liman in Krian and Youth chief Dayrell Walter Entrie in Bukit Saban.

“If Snap had been in agreement with us, we would have been prepared to give it three or four seats, and the party could have won. But one thing, when you lose so badly, you start blaming everybody except you yourself,” he added.

Baru said PKR was not blaming anyone for not having won more seats, although it admitted to one cause being the rampant money politics used by the BN.

He said he had heard from PKR candidates and supporters of money politics being widely used by the BN.

“It is clear that there were many cases of vote buying, and that the BN cannot deny buying votes,” he said.

Baru said he was informed that a woman came to the PKR office in Lawas asking for her RM200 balance promised by the BN.

“She is said to have received RM100, and that the BN must have told her to collect the balance after the voting,” he said.

Will EC investigate vote buying?

Baru called on the Election Commission to start investigating reports on  the widespread vote-buying practice in last Saturday’s election, especially in the rural areas, adding that the EC should “assure us that money politics will be not tolerated in the coming parliamentary election”.

NONE The police should also start probing reports on breach of election laws.

“If money politics is allowed, then there is no democracy and no fair and just elections,” he said, adding that the ordinary people would be duped into thinking that only those with money would win elections.

He said Pakatan Rakyat would be prepared for the BN's dirty tricks in the coming parliamentary election.

PKR, DAP and PAS would also study their weaknesses and ways to rectify them in their preparation for the GE.

“There is a possibility of an overnight change in the political scenario in Peninsular Malaysia in the coming general election,” he said, adding that he expected Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to call for an election earlier than 2013.