PKR ends talks with Snap, blames KL-based forces

Snap's obstinate position over the seats could be the result of 'peninsular-based forces that have long sought to subvert and break up the Pakatan Rakyat coalition'.

KUCHING: PKR today expressed its growing disappointment with Snap over the failed seat talks for the forthcoming Sarawak state polls and said that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition will take on Barisan Nasional without Snap in their ranks.
PKR’s vice-president Tian Chua said that Snap appeared to be more interested in contesting for the sake of contesting rather than to attain a winning formula to defeat BN.
“Our efforts to reach an electoral pact with Snap have been continually frustrated,” said Tian Chua today.
“Despite our best endeavours to reach a compromise, it seems Snap is unwilling to forge a united front to face BN in Sarawak,” he added.
He said that Snap adopted an entirely inflexible position throughout PKR’s attempts to engage in seat talks.
The oldest party in Sarawak, Snap – recently revived after a long slumber – is largely seen as representing the voice of Sarawak indigenous population.

The party believes that it can make inroads in the Dayak-majority constituencies and has named its candidates for 27 seats, most of which were over-lapping with claims made by PKR.
Seat negotiations between PKR and Snap have ended with the latter declining to step down from its quest to contest in the 27 seats.
Snap has also accused PKR of being slow in pursuing seat negotiations, thus the reason for the party (Snap) to have marked its 27 seats.
Tian Chua however disputed this.
“This accusation is untrue and meant to mislead the public. On the contrary, numerous letters and messages sent to Snap leaders were met with no reply whatsoever,” he said.
Peninsular-based forces to be blamed
He added that Snap refused to negotiate on the status of the 27 seats.
“From the onset, Snap demanded that PKR and Pakatan Rakyat recognize Snap as the single and sole representative of the Dayaks in our opposition formula…
“Nonetheless, Snap’s unbending insistence on contesting no less than 27 seats of their choice forced an impasse. Our attempt to discuss seat allocations by comparing the winnability of respective candidates and relative strength of electoral machinery was rejected out of hand,” he added.
Tian also alluded that Snap’s obstinate position over the seats could be the result of “peninsular based forces that have long sought to subvert and break up the Pakatan Rakyat coalition”.
Without naming anyone, but obviously referring to BN/Umno, Tian Chua said this “peninsular based forces have once again successfully orchestrated the current impasse”.
He said that PKR had hoped that Snap would join forces with the Pakatan coalition to replace Taib Mahmud and reinstate the rights, autonomy and dignity of all communities in Sarawak.
“We had hoped that Snap would be willing to walk together with us and be part of Pakatan’s struggle for justice in both Sarawak and the rest of Malaysia.
“If they have chosen to put other priorities first, and have no interest in reaching any compromise, we can only part ways amicably and wish them the best in their endeavours,” he said.
However he said the door for cooperation remained open and as a sign of goodwill and good faith, PKR has decided to give way in several seats to Snap, in the hope that this will help dislodge BN from even more seats.
Funded by pro-BN forces?
Snap has previously slammed PKR’s offer of three seats for Snap. Snap’s president Edwin Dundang had said that PKR was over-ambitious and that Snap may contest 40 seats it is eyeing on its own.
The party on Saturday finally revealed that it was contesting in 27 seats but Dundang’s bold stance got tongues wagging as to who was funding the re-emerging Snap.
Whistleblower site Sarawak Report had reported that Snap was receiving funding from pro-BN/Umno sources, not just to keep a check on Pakatan, but also to ensure that Taib’s strong control in the state is curtailed.
Snap denied the reports that it was receiving money from BN/Umno but it refused to divulge the source of its funding.
Following talk of Snap’s alleged liaison with BN/Umno, two of its allies – the Movement for Change Sarawak and Malaysia Civil Liberties Movement – cut off all ties with the Sarawak party, claiming that they had not received any concrete response from Snap on their alleged links with BN/Umno.
MoCS’s Francis Siah had also said that Snap’s original funder – a pro-opposition businessman from Kuala Lumpur – had stopped funding the party after realising that it was seeking finances from pro-BN sources.
There is also strong talk that Snap’s iconic figure Daniel Tajem is not happy with the recent changes in the party.