Political analysts in Sarawak and peninsula have written off Sarawak Nasional Party.
Local analysts and political observers here and in the peninsula have written off the 48-year-old Sarawak Nasional Party (SNAP).
SNAP, they say, will "never prove to its previous glory".
The weekend will likewise see a competition for the president`s post.
Fighting to drive over the reins and redeem SNAP`s lost credentials are supreme council member Michael Lias and secretary-general Stanley Jugol.
Said political analyst James Chin: "The company is basically finished. It`s the end of the road. It has a branding issue with funding as its biggest problem.
"Previously, it was funded by a top leader who was financially strong. But the current leadership is facing financial constraints."
According to Chin, a reader with Sunway Monash University, before the April 16 Sarawak state election, there was hope that SNAP could repair itself.
"There was prospect of SNAP winning some degree of living in the polls.
"But the issue has basically shown that the company is not relevant anymore," he added.
`Court battle weakened SNAP`
According to Bernama, out of the 672,667 (68.66%) registered voters who put their votes in the April 16 polls, SNAP, which contested 26 seats, garnered only 15,663 votes (2.33%).
The party, it noted, had failed to win any place with most of its candidates losing their deposits.
It quoted political analyst Jeniri Amir, of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, as saying that SNAP`s deregistration in 2002 had taken its price on the party.
The party, which was formed on April 10, 1961, was struck off by Registrar of Societies following a leadership crisis.
The issue was interpreted to court and final year the company won its appeal.
"The eight-year court battle was farsighted and further diminished the party. Because of the deregistration, it missed its grassroots support.
"That`s why the company lost badly in the state election," said Jeniri.
He, too, feels the company has no more future in Sarawak politics.
The party, he said, has missed its appeal, especially among the Ibans as other Dayak-based parties were enjoying much more support.
BN won`t want SNAP
But there are some analysts who are a little more optimistic.
They believe that the best choice for SNAP now is to transform its leadership, reorganise all its branches and reactivate its youth and women`s wings.
But whether this will be enough is another issue
Some 60 delegates are expected to discuss SNAP`s direction during the TGA beginning tomorrow.
On their minds will likewise be the head of whether to give to the Barisan Nasional`s fold, stay independent or drop their lot with opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat.
Their ties with Pakatan soured in the run-up to the April 16 state election and going independent will require extremely strong finances.
Returning to BN may look like an alternative but Institute of East Asian Studies` political analyst Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi thinks that it is an alternative that does not be for SNAP.
He is of the position that BN will not want SNAP now that it is open that the company is weak.
The state polls results were revealing and BN would not wish to take unnecessary baggage.
"Sarawak BN will just need a company that is militant and stable, with a respected leadership.
"But at the moment, the company does not possess that much-needed character," he told Bernama.
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