Poll: More than 50% support Pakatan for now

HULU SELANGOR – Voters in Sunday's by-election here have swung their support to the Pakatan Rakyat, an analysis by independent research group Zentrum Future Studies Malaysia shows.

Nevertheless, the contest between PKR candidate Zaid Ibrahim and the Barisan Nasional's P Kamalanathan is expected to be very close.

Some have called it a 1,000 to 1,500 margin in favour of Zaid, while others say that Kamalanathan may come home with a 3,000 odd majority.

Both parties will make a final push to win voters before polling starts at 8am Sunday.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is Selangor BN chief, and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin are heading the BN campaign while opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, along with DAP's Lim Kit Siang and Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat are leading Pakatan's campaign.

Zentrum's research findings - based on its daily 'Micro Research on Political Confidence Perception' - found Pakatan's rating to be 51.7% as opposed to Barisan's 48.3%.

On Thursday, BN edged Pakatan with a 51.4% lead over Pakatan's 48.6% in the same study conducted then.

'Improved communications helped'

The 3.4% differential is still of concern for both parties, making the final lap critical in influencing how the locals will cast their vote.

The grassroots survey also revealed that Malay voters (61%) and Indians (54 %) overwhelmingly favour BN.

The Chinese, however, showed a 78% preference for the Pakatan candidate.


Gender wise, Pakatan fared better with 58% of male voters supporting it, in contrast to 69% of the women preferring BN.

Zentrum said support for Pakatan had risen slightly as a result of improved communications and the role of the New Media.

The results also suggest that ceramah and the presence of banners and posters in the constituency are beginning to show effect.

The Zentrum results were announced slightly before midnight Friday via its Facebook page.

The page is expected to be overwhelmed at midnight Saturday, when campaigning stops.

Malaysian Mirror
24/04/10

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