88% OF URBAN SABAHANS WANT RCI – MERDEKA CENTRE

News Release

Overwhelming 88% of Kota Kinabalu and Penampang voters want RCI to investigate the alleged illegal immigrant issues in Sabah

BANGI May 15, 2012– A survey among voters in the constituencies of Kota Kinabalu and Penampang found that 88% of the respondents agreed to the proposal that a royal commission of investigation (RCI) be established to investigate the alleged illegal immigrant issues in Sabah. The support to setup the RCI is high across all segments of voters.

In the same survey, 51% of the respondents felt that that Sabah state was headed in the right direction while 39% thought otherwise. The response across different communities making up the electorate in these two districts varied greatly - 80% Muslim Bumiputra respondents felt Sabah was headed in the right direction, followed by 60% of the Non-Muslim Bumiputra respondents but only 40% of the Chinese respondents. The main reason for right direction is continued economic development and peace and stability in the state. Meanwhile the main reason for those believing the state was headed in the wrong direction was concerns over inflation, poverty and uneven access to development and the large influx of illegal immigrants.

Illegal immigrant issue is the main concern of voters in Kota Kinabalu and Penampang ahead of election

PATI (pendatang asing tanpa izin or illegal immigrants) issues were found to be the most important issue in Sabah that needed immediate attention from the government as mentioned by 27% of respondents. It was followed by concerns over cost of living (8%), poor condition of infrastructure (8%) and lack of public infrastructure (5%).

With respect to economic sentiments, all the survey findings denote satisfaction levels that were below 50%. As noted earlier, the most pressing economic concern among a wide range of respondents were prices of consumer goods and services, where 81% of the respondents were not satisfied. The survey also found that voter perceptions over the matter of job opportunities were also low among Bumiputra respondents (i.e. 26% among Muslim Bumiputra and 32% among Non-Muslim Bumiputra).

When asked about election related topics, concerns over illegal immigrants were the top most issue on the minds of voters in Kota Kinabalu and Penampang. This was followed by cost of living (6%) and welfare of people (6%).

Significant propensity for change detected.

  The survey found that 59% of the respondents polled in the two districts thought that other political parties (besides Barisan Nasional) should be given a chance to prove their abilities to lead people of Sabah while 31% of the respondents think that BN is the only party than can provide for the needs of Sabahans.

This sentiment was found to be split along ethnic lines where 79% of the Chinese respondents preferred giving other political parties a chance while 80% of the Muslim Bumiputra respondents remained hopeful for Barisan Nasional. Sentiments on this subject among Non-Muslim Bumiputra respondents was split where 50% reported that the BN was their party of choice to lead Sabahans while 42% thought that other parties should be given a chance to lead.

The survey was carried out by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research between 14th and 20th March 2012 to gauge Kota Kinabalu and Penampang voters’ perceptions of current developments in the Sabah. 411 registered voters comprising 55% Chinese, 33% Non-Muslim Bumiputra and 12% Muslim Bumiputra respondents which was reflective of electoral profile of both Kota Kinabalu and Penampang parliament districts. Respondents were selected on the basis of random stratified sampling along ethnicity, gender and state constituency. The poll was conducted via telephone to fixed and mobile line subscribers.

Poll Report

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