Surveys by the Ilham Centre think-tank have shown a greater preference for Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates but a large group of unhappy and unsure party supporters could sway the elections.

Ilham Centre director Hisommuddin Bakar said that a survey this week showed that 27 per cent of voters were still undecided about their choice.

Most of them were BN and PAS supporters. He said the trend had increased after former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad appeared to campaign for the Amanah candidates in both constituencies.

He said Amanah had been trailing behind BN and PAS in the beginning but had made gains after campaigning by Dr Mahathir and Selangor menteri besar Azmin Ali.

“An upset result can happen at the last minute if the BN machinery fails to address the silent protest element within Umno,” he said, according to Malaysiakini.

There were several strands of dissension within Umno in Kuala Kangsar, among them the choice of the BN candidate Mastura Mohd Yazid who holds no position in the Umno division. Mastura is the widow of the late MP, Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad

In Sungai Besar, some Umno supporters had wanted Mislimin Yahya as the candidate to replace the late Noriah Kasnon, instead of Budiman Mohd Zohdi, the state assembly member for Sungai Panjang.

Hisommuddin said PAS supporters were also confused by the party’s current direction. The party, once part of the Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance, has moved towards a closer relationship with Umno although its members remain part of the Pakatan-run state government in Selangor.

He said this week’s surveys in Kuala Kangsar had sown 37 per cent support for BN, 24 per cent for Amanah and 12 per cent for PAS; and 41 per cent for BN in Sungai Besar, 19 per cent for Amanah and 16 per cent for PAS.

But 24 percent of voters had not made up their minds.

Hisommudin said Amanah’s strategy on national issues might appeal only to politically-aware voters, with many others more concerned about local issues.