The federal government will do all it can to ensure the Barisan Nasional (BN) will secure a bigger victory in the upcoming Sarawak state election, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said this entailed winning more seats this time around, including all the 11 new seats.

The number of seats in the Sarawak state legislativd assembly was increased from 71 to 82, following a redelineation exercise.

“This is to show the close relationship between the federal and state governments which provides the opportunity to the state government to channel huge allocations to the people," he told reporters after performing the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kampung Keluru Jaya mosque in Lambir, Miri, today.

Citing an example, he said this commitment was reflected in the increase in allocation for rural development in Sarawak to the tune of RM1.5 billion in Budget 2016, as compared with RM1.1 billion in Budget 2015.

Asked on the BN machinery for the state election, he said the central leadership would work with the state BN in order to streamline the machinery at all levels.

Zahid thanked the state-level election machinery for doing a good job in registering new voters.

However, he said if the Election Commission (EC) extended the registration deadline for new voters, more first-time or Gen Y voters could be registered.

At the event, Zahid was given the honour by villagers when they named the Kampung Keluru Jaya mosque as the Hamidiyah mosque, after the deputy minister's father.

The mosque, to be built at a cost of RM750,000, is to replace the village surau and once completed, it can be used by residents from six nearby villages.

- Bernama