The Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap) said a survey it carried out in late January showed that 76% of its 1,240 respondents were hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It also found that 43% of those surveyed stated their savings could last only about three months, while 30% said they had no savings at all.

Insap deputy chairman Pamela Yong said the economic hardships in Johor were real and that urgent assistance was needed with “sustenance running low”.

She added that many people living in Johor were dependent on traffic from Singapore.

Border controls because of Covid-19 had caused unemployment and lack of business opportunities to become a priority concern of voters when deciding on a stable government for the next four to five years.

“This time, their choices will be dictated by basic bread and butter issues and not some pie in the sky,” she said in a statement.

The survey also found that almost half of the Chinese respondents who claimed to be Pakatan Harapan supporters said they would consider voting for MCA this time.

Over 50% of the respondents said they were disappointed with PH because it failed to fulfil its manifesto and election promises, the survey revealed.

Yong said there was strong empirical data that Malay support would be divided at the state elections. “So it is important for Barisan Nasional to leverage on other communities to level its chances of winning in the focus seats,” she said.

The survey also showed that Hasni Mohammad, BN’s prospective candidate to be menteri besar, was rated positively across all races.

The Johor state elections will take place on March 12, with early voting set for March 8.

Nominations will be on Feb 26.