The pro tem committee of the Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC) has started negotiations with the Sarawak National Party (Snap) as a fall-back plan to use Snap symbol to contest the state elections if the party is not registered in time for the polls or whether it is ever going to be registered at all.

"In our preliminary meeting last week, we've agreed on this option as it now appears certain that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) will hold on to our application," MDS pro tem information chief Joseph Tawie told malaysiakini today.

He added it was the consensus view among MDC leaders that it would be better to contest under a party ticket than as Independents.

Tawie said pro tem president Nicholas Bawin had a meeting with the ROS Kaswuri Keman last Friday in Putrajaya and was specifically told that he had received directive from the top to hold on to the application for the time being.

This was after he had promised soon after the application was submitted in May that the outcome would be known within four months from the date of its submission.

Bringing up in Parliament

Tawie said they would continue to pursue the matter of the party registration through various means, including asking the DAP Bandar Kuching member of Parliament Chong Chieng Jen (right) to raise the matter in Parliament "since none of the Dayak MPs are prepared to do so."

He said MDC is to accommodate members of the de-registered Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) who remain partyless and have refused to join any other party other than MDC.

MDC prime movers claim they have received 'very encouraging' response from the ground, especially in Iban areas, and are said to be targetting seats presently held by Dayak-based parties Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), both members of the state ruling coalition.

State elections must be held by September 2006 but there is speculation that it would be called by March next year.

Tajem returns

The elections is also expected to see the return of former PBDS president Daniel Tajem (left), a former deputy chief minister and former Malaysian High Commissioner to New Zealand, to state politics. He is likely to contest on a Snap ticket as he was originally from Snap.

Many Ibans regard Daniel, a lawyer by training and once president of Sarawak Dayak National Union, as an icon of the community. He is expected to contest in Bukit Begunan, a seat he once held. The incumbent is PRS' Mong Dagang, a former bank officer who may be dropped as candidate and replaced by Iban businessman Donald Lawan possibly on a BN-PBB ticket.

Political observers say the state election is likely to see a battle royale in the Iban heartland between Dayak-based parties from the BN and the opposition.

Tawie said at least 32 seats will be contested under Snap tickets.

President of the opposition State Reform Party (Star), Dr Patau Rubis (left), also contested under a Snap ticket in the 2004 parliamentary election in Sarawak. However, the former senior vice-president of Snap was defeated in Mas Gading.