The Sarawak National Party (Snap) has been granted a further reprieve by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to operate normally pending its appeal against its deregistration in 2002.

The party's appeal for a review of the Registrar of Societies' decision was dismissed by the High Court in Sept 15, 2006 and yesterday High Court judge Wan Afrah Wan Ibrahim extended the suspension period of the deregistration order until an appeal to the Court of Appeal is heard.

No date has been fixed for the appeal.

Snap was originaly granted a two-week reprieve after the September 2006 court decision. Although the party filed its appeal immediately, the matter has yet to be slated for hearing, thus the need for the party to apply for an extension now.

Snap deputy president Justine Jinggut told malaysiakini that this latest decision meant that the party could continue to operate legally and as usual.

He said the party would use this opportunity to now concentrate on activating many of its divisions throughout Sarawak.

Snap claims to have about 100,000 members, but its actual membership strength may have been reduced after Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), led by a former senior Snap member William Mawan, was formed at the height of the crisis in Snap in 2002.

Justine however added that the party, founded in 1961, will remain steadfast to its original aim of being a multi-racial party.

"It would not deviate from that objective. Sarawak is a multi-racial state in Malaysia," he said.

The party has performed badly in the recently held state elections. Its only winning candidate has since then applied to join SPDP and given his support to BN.