KULIM, April 27 — Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is optimistic that the Merdeka Center survey results, indicating the decline in people’s support for the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government will not affect voters’ support for the PH candidate in the Sandakan parliamentary by-election.
PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said PH, represented by a DAP candidate in the by-election, would not change its campaign strategy following the result obtained by a public opinion polling firm.
“I do not think it will (influence votes), neither will it change anything in terms of our strategy because of (the survey results) released by independent survey company Merdeka Center yesterday, a year after the 14th general election,” he told reporters when met at the launch of the Kedah state-level Petroleum Safety Awareness Campaign, here, today..
Saifuddin Nasution, who is also Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, was asked to comment on whether the outcome of the survey would affect voters support for PH in the by-election to be held on May 11.
The recent Merdeka Center poll result released yesterday revealed that the PH government’s approval rating had declined from 79 per cent on May 31 last year to 39 per cent on March 11, 2019.
A survey involving 1,204 voters conducted throughout Malaysia between March 5 and 11 showed that only 34 per cent of respondents believed the country was heading in the right direction compared to 55 per cent in August 2018.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin Nasution said PKR would move its machinery to assist DAP via various campaign programmes and activities to ensure that the Sandakan parliamentary seat will be retained by DAP.
Sandakan parliamentary by-election is being held following the death of its incumbent Datuk Stephen Wong Tien Fatt of a heart attack on March 28.
The by-election will see a five-cornered fight between DAP candidate Vivian Wong Shir Yee, PBS candidate Datuk Linda Tsen Thau Lin and three other independent candidates. — Bernama
