SUNGAI LIMAU, 3 Nov: The increase in price of oil, sugar and other essential goods is a key factor in PAS maintaining its position in the Sungai Limau By-Elections.
A study by Ilham Centre, an independent research body, found that 73 percent of respondents among voters labelled the increase in oil price as unfitting.
More than half of the respondents, 56 percent, also said that BN failed to control the country’s economy well seeing that the price of daily necessities are on the rise.
The study which was conducted between 28 October and 1 November found that 45 percent of respondents consider the retraction of the sugar subsidy, as announced by the Prime Minister recently, as very unfitting.
The percentage was obtained based on specific questions posed to 602 voters registered in the Sungai Limau State Legislative Assembly.
The same study showed that 50 percent of the respondents know the PAS candidate, Mohd Azam Abdul Samad, compared to the BN candidate, Dr Sohaimi Lazim (one percent) before the By-Election.
The percentage who knows Dr Sohaimi increased to eight percent during the campaign period but lost out to Azam, whose popularity rose to 23 percent.
The study also found that 43 percent of the deciding factor is their leadership in religion, which favours Azam compared to Dr Sohaimi (seven percent).
In a press statement today, the Director Executive of Ilham Centre, Muhamad Hisommudin Bakar concluded that PAS electoral support is between 53 to 55 percent, while BN is between 45 to 47 percent.
“There are no major changes in voters for the Sungai Limau By-Election. The factor of party identification is too thick among voters, thus contributing to PAS retaining their votes,” he said.
Ilham Centre was established in 2006 by conducting independent research and using academic research methods at the tertiary level.