MCA think-tank predicts BN landslide victory in Tanjung Piai

TG PIAI POLLS | MCA-founded think-tank Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap) has predicted its own party's landslide victory in the Tanjung Piai by-election.

Insap deputy chairperson Pamela Yong (above), in a statement, said her think-tank is forecasting that BN will garner 62.8 percent of total votes, winning the by-election with a whopping 7,181-vote majority.

Yong said this is based on a 70 percent turnout.

"The Chinese support rate for BN had increased from 32 percent in the 14th general election to at least 45 percent.

"In a sampling survey of 400 respondents conducted for Insap several weeks before nomination, the Chinese support rate was higher for BN.

"On the Malay ground, the Malay support rate according to Insap investigation is at least 70 percent, which again confirms the earlier survey which put Malay support at 67 percent.

"Based on Insap's current findings and earlier survey, it is forecast that BN candidate Wee Jeck Seng will win this by-election with a convincing margin and regain the seat he lost by 524 votes in GE14," she said in a statement tonight.

The think-tank predicted Wee will garner 17,605 votes to Harapan's Karmaine Sardini, who is projected to obtain 10,424 votes.

It also predicted that all the other contenders will lose their deposits.

A candidate must win at least one-eighth of the total votes cast to keep his or her deposit.

The two frontrunners in the Tanjung Piai by-election are MCA's Wee, who is contesting under BN's logo, and Bersatu's Karmaine, who will contest under Harapan's banner.

The other candidates are Berjasa's Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz, Gerakan's Wendy Subramaniam and independent candidates Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar.

Campaigning began on Nov 2 and Tanjung Piai voters will go to the polls tomorrow.

The by-election was called after the incumbent MP, Bersatu's Md Farid Md Rafik, passed away from a heart attack in September, just three weeks before his 43rd birthday.