‘60 pct Chinese support for Adenan a huge morale booster for BN’

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Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi

Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi

KUCHING: A recent poll which shows that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem has a 60 per cent popularity rating among the Chinese is a huge morale booster for the Barisan Nasional (BN) leading to the next state election.

State BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi believed the research, conducted by an independent public polling agency, went to show that confidence among the Chinese towards Adenan’s administration was increasing. This was a good indication considering that in the last state election, BN lost a number of Chinese-majority seats.

Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) was worst hit in the 2011 state polls, losing 13 of the 19 seats to opposition parties while only retaining Dayak-majority seats of Bengoh, Opar, Engkilili, Sri Aman and the mixed seats of Bawang Assan and Senadin.

“For sure it is a good sign for the BN and I hope that all BN component parties take this as a motivation to give a stronger mandate for the chief minister to continue leading the state,” Dr Rundi said when contacted yesterday.

He was responding to The Borneo Post report on Wednesday, which said the 60 per cent Chinese approval showed that Adenan’s policies were winning the support of the Chinese community. The high approval rating was a remarkable swing from the Chinese community whose support had traditionally been inclined towards the opposition.

In response to the poll, the chief minister reportedly said he had sensed the acceptance of the Chinese community of his policies since he took over the helm of the state government less than two years ago. He said whatever he did for the Chinese community was never at the expense of other communities, while hoping that the Chinese would translate their support into votes in the next state election which must be called by June next year.