Estranged Barisan Nasional (BN) component party Sarawak National Party (Snap) decided today to deliver all the seats it wins in the general election to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The decision was made by the central executive committee (CEC) which met this morning. Snap was booted out of the ruling front after it was de-registered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) following a bitter leadership struggle.

However, the party is appealing in court and a stay of execution has been granted.

Speaking to malaysiakin i after chairing the meeting, Snap president Edwin Dundang said although the party will be contesting outside of the BN, the committee resolved to hand the seats to Abdullah because of his 'fair and just' leadership.

According to him, the party will be vying for four seats - Mas Gading, Saratok, Bintulu and Baram. The party claimed these seats were 'unfairly robbed' by its splinter, the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

SPDP was formed by William Mawan - the central figure in the leadership crisis in Snap against then president James Wong. The new party was later accepted into the BN fold.

Other seats

Meanwhile, Dundang also did not rule out the possibility of placing candidates for other seats in the state.

"We might contest in more seats depending on the feedback from the ground," he said.

He also confirmed that Snap will be fielding newly-appointed CEC member Kebin Wan, an Orang Ulu and a former independent state assemblyperson for Telang Usan as its candidate for Baram.

A former state director of royal customs and excise Frankie Nyumboi will contest on a Snap ticket in Mas Gading against incumbent Deputy Minister of National Unity and Family Development Dr Tiki Lafe.

Snap's secretary-general Stanley Jugol ( photo ) will take on SPDP leader Jelaing Mersat for the Saratok seat, whose incumbent Peter Tinggom is stepping down to pave the way for Mersat.

In Bintulu, the party is fielding a Chinese doctor who is likely to be involved in a three-cornered fight involving the incumbent from SPDP Tiong King Sing and Dap Sarawak deputy leader and state assemlyperson for Kidurong Chiew Ching Sing.

Patau absolved

Dundang also disclosed that CEC had re-looked at the case brought up in 1995 against its erstwhile maverick senior vice-president Dr Patau Rubis.

The committee had unanimously decided to absolve him from any blame for what happened during the elections then.

Patau was accused of planting certain independents against the BN, an allegation which he vehemently denied. Instead, he claimed it was the work of then Snap vice-president William Mawan and others with vested interests.

After studying the reports again, Dundang said the committee felt that it was only right to absolve Patau and added that it will write officially to him about the decision tomorrow. Patau has since set up the opposition State Reform Party (Star)

Join forces

Contacted later, Patau said he was grateful that Snap's present leaders had set the record straight.

He added that he lost his job as an assistant minister because of the 'unfounded allegation' He added that he saw no problem at all for the two parties to work together in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

"For eight long years I have waited and now it is time well spent and is worth every long minute of it," he said.

He also said that he would do his best to help revive Snap, failing which "every loyal Snap member is welcome to continue their struggle for a better Sarawak through Star".

Last week Star said it would contest three parliamentary seats -- Mas Gading, Mambong and Serian. Patau is likely to go contest again in Mas Gading (formerly Bau-Lundu) where the incumbent is SPDP's Dr Tiki Lafe.