KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be assured of a clean victory if the voter turnout reaches 60 per cent for the Port Dickson by-election, Ilham Centre said today.
872 respondents were polled for this purpose.
“Judging from the voter turnout in three previous by-elections (Sg Kandis, Seri Setia and Balakong), Anwar will be victorious if the voter turnout hits 60 per cent,” the research firm said in a statement today.
It attributed the anticipated lower turnout to “voter fatigue” after GE14 which was held on May 9.
Bread and butter issues feature prominently on the minds of the PD voters, according to the survey.
“76 per cent of those surveyed related that the escalation in the price of essential goods were a grave concern to them,” said Ilham Centre is a statement today.
Another 47 per cent cited education as a key concern while 32 per cent highlighted health issues as a priority.
The research firm also commended the PH government for the minimal usage of government machinery in the run up to the polls.
It said that Malaysia was on the right track to a new political culture of candidates not offering goodies to garner votes in an election.
Although there were attempts by some private parties and NGOs to deliver the developmental narrative, these did not get much traction from the voters.
However, there is great anticipation for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s promise about the developments that he would bring to PD if he was elected and subsequently appointed as prime minister.
Among the candidates contesting in the polls, Anwar is the only candidate who is confident enough to offer the development ‘carrot’ due to his ties to the government.
Independent candidate Tan Sri Isa Samad is selling himself as a local candidate and the services he had offered to Port Dickson and Negri Sembilan.
The research firm said that the PAS election machinery was directionless and only hoping for the Malay Umno and army votes.
