Datuk William Mawan Ikom

KUCHING - SNAP leader Datuk William Mawan Ikom said yesterday he would be more than happy if Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had 'expressed satisfaction' to Datuk Amar James Wong's ex-planation on efforts to save the party from deregistration, although he has reservation about the latter's claim.

"We hope it is true," he told Tribune yesterday after a meeting with the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud.

He was commenting on a statement by the SNAP de facto president that the Deputy Prime Minister was "very happy" with his (Wong's) explanation and that Wong was confident the ROS would not de-register the party.

Wong was quoted as having made the statement at a press conference at Kuching International Airport after his return from Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

According to Mawan, the group of nine would not rely on hearsay but would wait for an official confirmation in black and white.

"I think we have only the showcause letter from the ROS to attend to. The decision will be on October 13 and apart from that, we don't have further comment.

"The showcause is official, not hearsay. If Datuk Amar Wong has good news after meeting Pak Lah, then it will only be a matter of time before we also get the good news from Pak Lah. But the bad news is October 13 has not arrived yet," he said.

Mawan said what was important now was to comply with all the requirements to prevent the party from being de-registered.

On Wong's claim that the suspension of Dato Sri Peter Tinggom and Dr Judson Tagal was lifted upon Pak Lah's suggestion, Mawan laughed heartily.

"I don't think Pak Lah will give such directive to suspend or lift any suspension (of any BN party member) from a hotel in KL. That is quite funny," he said.

On Wong's intention to bring a SNAP delegation to help campaign for the BN in the upcoming Gaya parliamentary by-election, Mawan hoped SNAP would still be around by then.

"I hope they can do that if SNAP still exists. If it doesn't, I hope they can contribute to a BN victory," he said.

Mawan stressed that as far as the group of nine was concerned, they were bracing for any eventuality.

"We are more or less prepared for the worst, come what may," he reiterated.