The 61-year old secured 6,573 votes, which is 551 more than what Adenan garnered in the state election in May last year.
In announcing the results here, the Election Commission (EC) said Jamilah defeated her two opponents, Sarawak Reform Party (STAR)’s Johnny Aput and Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru’s (PBDS Baru) Rapelson Richard Hamit, who received 108 and 130 votes, respectively.
Both opposition candidates lost their deposits, as per EC rules for failing to obtain at least one-eighth of the total votes cast.
The EC reported a voter turnout of 69.2% short of the targeted 75% turnout. A total of 80 votes were spoilt. In last year’s state election, Tanjong Datu recorded a voter turnout of 70.10%.
There are a total of 9,771 eligible voters in Tanjong Datu.
For Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu’s (PBB) Jamilah, the victory was a validation of public support of policies set by the late Adenan, who died of heart failure on Jan 11.
Azizul Annuar Adenan spoke on behalf of his mother Jamilah at the Lundu community hall, where the results were announced.
“I thank the voters for their confidence in my mother. I am about to call her to inform her of the results. She is grateful for the trust in her after the demise of my father.
“The residents here remember the deeds of my late father. This is reflected in the voting today,” said the 25-year-old trained engineer.
Azizul said he would assist Jamilah in serving her constituents as she is still in her mourning period.
“I will definitely go down and help. She can only go out after May. Even after May, I will go down and help her,” he said.
Meanwhile, BN campaign director Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar attributed the victory to BN’s campaign machinery, which he said “moved with military precision”.
“Even though we could not get an increased voter turnout, the votes garnered were beyond what we expected,” the Santubong MP said on the increased majority.
“Tok Nan’s legacy played a big role. But aside from that, from the feedback from the ground and the party’s grassroots, we find that Jamilah is a very qualified candidate. She has a connection of her own with the rakyat. She knows what the people want.”
Analysts had previously said besides Adenan’s own popularity, fielding Jamilah in Tanjong Datu would also attract sympathy votes and lead to a bigger win than the 5,892-vote majority won by the former chief minister.
Adenan passed away just eight months after leading the BN coalition to an impressive victory, winning 72 out of the 82 state seats.
He was Tanjong Datu’s elected representative for more than nine years, having first won the seat in the ninth Sarawak state election in May 2006.
During the campaign, voters at the BN stronghold were reminded of promises of a RM129 million tap water supply utility by Prime Minister Najib Razak, as well as more than 800 projects worth RM1.3 billion in Tanjong Datu announced by Adenan before this.
“There are sentiments of sympathy, good memories of Adenan and how his widow is representing him,” said Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) political analyst professor Jeniri Amir.
Meanwhile, Unimas senior lecturer, associate professor Dr Ahi Sarok said the two opposition candidates lost because they were regarded as outsiders by the constituents.
“Both of them hail from outside Lundu, namely from the Serian district. They surely could not get the support of voters in Tanjong Datu,” he said.
This is not the first time BN has fielded an incumbent’s widow as a candidate. Last year, Mastura Mohd Yazid contested and won in Kuala Kangsar, after her husband Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad died in a helicopter crash while campaigning in the Sarawak state election.