KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 — It was sympathy for imprisoned leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that contributed the most to his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s victory in Permatang Pauh earlier this month, a survey showed.

The survey by Institut Datuk Ehsan, a Selangor-run research institute, also revealed that other key campaign issues such as the public anger over the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s attacks against the Najib administration, had helped Dr Wan Azizah clinch the seat.

“Sympathy was the highest factor. They spread images that said 'Prove Anwar's Case' were distributed in the hundreds,

“The issue of Datuk Seri Anwar was at the forefront of the campaign,” the institute’s chairman said during a Darul Ehsan Dialogue session today.

More to come