Analysts predict BN will prevail
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians go to the polls tomorrow, Wednesday with indications that Barisan Nasional (BN) is poised to return to power against what seems to be the strongest opposition it has ever faced.
Leading the BN charge in the 14th General Election (GE14), dubbed the ‘mother of all elections’, is Prime Minister and coalition chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who is leaving nothing to chance in the effort to secure a favourable outcome for BN in the election.
Political observers, as well as various surveys, are pointing to a BN victory following an 11day gruelling campaign, with a record number of candidates – 2,333 to be exact – eyeing the 222 parliamentary as well as the 505 state seats at stake. At nomination, BN won the Rantau state seat in Negeri Sembilan unopposed.
Najib, 64, is seeking a strong mandate from a total of 14.9 million registered voters who are eligible to vote in GE14 to continue pursuing his well-crafted plans and strategies to improve the people’s well-being and propel the country to further progress.
The Umno-led BN is banking on an indisputable and proven track record under Najib’s stewardship ever since he took office in 2009 as Malaysia’s sixth prime minister.
With a glowing report card on what his government has done for the country, such as BN having successfully realised over 99 percent of its promises in the GE13 manifesto, Najib has every reason to be confident that BN will retain Putrajaya by winning GE14.
BN has also drawn up a wellthought-out manifesto for GE14 that economists describe as forward-looking and realistic that spells better things to come for all Malaysians and the country as a whole.
Najib, who has been making a convincing case for a BN government to continue helming Malaysia, also attributed his confidence in a good BN outing this time around to what he described as “phenomenal” support from the people all across the country.
He took exception to claims that BN gatherings had not been well received, countering them on social media platforms with pictures of well-attended events awash in a sea of the BN’s dark blue.
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) political scientist Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian predicted that BN would prevail just like in 2013, with the 13-party coalition retaining the status quo in the parliamentary seats.
“With ‘fixed deposits’ in Sabah and Sarawak, the GE14 results should be almost the same as before,” he said. BN held 132 of the 222 seats when parliament was dissolved on April 7.
For the state seats, Sivamurugan said, BN needed to work harder in the remaining period before the election for a favourable outcome, especially in states such as Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
“Johor and Perak are also the states to watch with many political personalities locking horns there,” he told Bernama.
Political analyst Assoc Prof Dr Jeniri Amir was optimistic that BN would romp home to a GE14 victory despite the fierce challenge mounted by the DAP-dominated opposition, largely said to have been using slander and half-truths to gain the people’s support.
He said a positive BN outing was possible, thanks to its more efficient election machinery and, more importantly, a proven track record of delivery and a more convincing election manifesto compared to the opposition’s.
“Rural voters are also largely in favour of the BN,” he said, adding that the ‘fixed deposit’ states like Sarawak would also prove to be an advantage for BN.
A survey by pollster Merdeka Center also pointed to GE14 returning BN to power, with the coalition having steered Malaysia for the past six decades.
Another survey, conducted by Kajidata Research on the people’s current perception of the Pakatan Harapan opposition pact, has also found that BN would prevail in GE14.
Kajidata adviser Prof Dr Syed Arabi Idid Syed Arabi, former rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia, anticipated that BN would continue ruling with a simple majority, like most of the ruling parties in the world today. - Bernama