Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem's leadership is seen as able to increase the people's support for BN in the coming state election.

Political analyst, Assoc Prof Dr Jeniri Amir said the implementation of new policies like empowerment for Sarawak in a number of sectors, development programmes and the ending of toll collection at three bridges in the state, had managed to raise support for Adenan and BN.

The bridges are the Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Bridge in Petra Jaya, Kuching, Lanang Bridge in Sibu and Asean Bridge in Baram, Miri.

"I expect the popular votes for BN to increase to between 55 and 60 per cent in the Sarawak state election this time," Jeniri told Bernama today.

In the last state election in 2011, Sarawak BN which was represented by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), won 55 seats while the opposition won 15 and an independent, one.

Jeniri, who is the dean of the Social Science Faculty of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), said that based on his study, Adenan had garnered 84 percent popular support from the people by October, this year compared to 74 percent in April, last year.

National issues

However, he said, national issues such as the rising cost of living, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue would inevitably be raised in the coming state election and BN should be smart in tackling this.

Nevertheless, he feels that these issues will only have an impact on the young voters who are much exposed to inaccurate information on the social media.

"BN should be prepared in countering such information on these issues via the traditional media like radio and television, as well as in cyber space such as through WhatsApp," he said.

Jeniri also predicted that the Sarawak state election would be held during the school holidays in March before the current Sarawak state legislative assembly term ends in June, this year.

On the candidates, he believed there would be no "invisible hand" which could influence Adenan in deciding on the choice for BN in the 82 Sarawak state seats.

He said that Adenan, as the state BN chairperson, was seen as someone consistent in every decision he made and not easily influenced by anyone.

"The choice of candidates (to be decided by Adenan) will be made based on confidence in their capabilities, besides having the support of the parties and people, as well as the future leaders for Sarawak in five years' time," he added.

Jeniri opined that with the additional 11 new state seats in Sarawak, BN was expected to field at least 11 new faces and to drop a number of incumbents due to certain factors like performance and health.

- Bernama