KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) believes it has a good chance of winning the Tanjung Piai by-election going by the findings of a recent survey showing that the popularity of Pakatan Harapan (PH) was dwindling.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pix) noted that the opposition had won the last three by-elections despite indicators showing that PH had a higher rating at that time.
He said the most recent findings from the survey by Merdeka Centre showing that the approval rating for PH had dropped to an all-time low of 35% would raise BN’s chances of winning.
“Based on current sentiments, I believe we can win,” he said. He pointed out that BN won in Semenyih, Rantau and Cameron Highlands despite the fact that approval rating for PH was at 50% at that time.
“I believe our chances of winning in Tanjung Piai will increase,” he told reporters in Parliament today.
He also pointed out that in the general elections last year, BN lost by only 524 votes and that only because the opposition votes were split between Umno and PAS.
Sabri, who is also Umno vice-president, said with PAS on BN’s side now, it would be more difficult for PH to defend the seat. “We expect the PAS supporters to vote for BN this time,” he said.
He said BN already had a shortlist of potential candidates, but the coalition must decide first which of its component parties would field a candidate.
On the other hand, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali believes that the Merdeka Centre survey findings would not have a bearing on the by-election. “This focus will be on local issues so we have to deal with that,” he said.
On the survey findings, Azmin, who is also Economic Affairs Minister, insisted that the PH government still commanded the support of majority of the rakyat.
He said this was based on the fact that government had embarked on major institutional reforms and brought the economic back on track in such a short time.
