Survey Shows Strong Approval For Adenan Satem Among Sarawak Voters

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem has secured a thumping approval from Sarawakians ahead of the 11th state election, according to a recent survey.

A Merdeka Center survey conducted in January 2016 revealed that 81 per cent of Sarawak voters were satisfied with his performance, up from 74 per cent recorded in an earlier survey done in April 2015.

"Seventy-five per cent of the respondents agreed that Adenan had brought significant change to Sarawak since he took over as chief minister in February 2014," the centre said in a statement in Kuching yesterday.

They cited abolition of road toll charges, more infrastructure projects, addressing illegal logging and more welfare aid for low-income citizens as among the major changes he had introduced.

They also noted that the Adenan administration was serious in fighting corruption.

The Merdeka Center said the Chinese respondents were also appreciative of his policy with regard to Chinese education.

The survey was carried out by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research between Jan 20 to 26 to gauge voters' perceptions of current developments in Sarawak in the lead up to the state election scheduled for May 7.

The statement said the exercise involved 815 registered voters comprising 27 per cent Muslim Bumiputera, 38 per cent non-Muslim Bumiputera and 36 per cent Chinese respondents, which was reflective of the state's electoral profile.

They were interviewed via fixed line and mobile telephones.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak remains confident that the 82 Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates fielded in the 11th Sarawak state election are the best choice.

He also believes the candidates would be ready to fulfill the responsibilities and aspirations of the people, when they are elected.

Najib said he understood that all the misunderstandings and disappointments over the list of the candidates had been solved and explained by the state leadership to the BN component parties and individuals in the party.

"Cooperation and unity are very important in the election and I hope every member of the Sarawak BN will give their full commitment, time and energy as well as cooperation to the leadership and party machinery during the campaign.

"Be united as a team - Adenan's Team, Barisan Nasional's Team," he said in his Facebook posting.

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem on Monday had named the BN candidates for the 82 seats at stake in the state election that has been fixed for May 7.

The Election Commission has fixed nomination day as April 25.