At a forum on the recently-concluded Sarawak election today, Rosmadi, who is an associate professor from the university’s Department of Geography, said the election results highlighted this.

He told FMT that this could be due to the fact that higher-density areas were also urban ones, where national politics was more of a concern.

In rural areas and larger constituencies, local issues were especially pertinent.

He also noted that the BN won in almost all the areas where the Pan Borneo Highway runs through, signifying the importance of the project.

Rosmadi also observed that this time around, BN won with a two-third majority in most of the constituencies it emerged victorious, compared to the 2011 election, where it did not secure a two-third majority in constituencies it triumphed in.

Meanwhile, UM political analyst Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi attributed BN’s victory to “Tsunami Adenan” which hit the state.

Awang said Adenan’s popularity was the main factor for BN’s sweeping win.

“Adenan is seen as a firm, open, respectable, simple and knowledgeable leader.”

Awang also said Adenan had in a short time, resolved many of the issues used by the Opposition in the last election, leaving them with few local issues to raise this time around.

This, he said, included the abolition of tolls, reduction of electricity tariffs and more, which were reflective of Adenan’s people-centric policies.

Awang said the Opposition’s campaign in the election centred too much on 1Malaysia Development Berhad and GST (goods and services tax), which were irrelevant compared to local issues.

He, however, noted that such national issues could very well prove crucial in the next general election, when people elect their parliamentarians.

In Saturday’s state election, Adenan led BN to a sweeping victory, winning 72 out of 82 seats.