COMMENT What we saw in Sarawak yesterday was not just about a state election but also about the general sentiments of the voters.

The message the voters in Sarawak sent is more or less the same sentiments all over rural Malaysia, although urban Malaysians may have a slightly different view, as has always been since Merdeka.

Some are attributing the Sarawak state election results due to the low voter turnout.

In the last Sarawak state election in 2011 the voter turnout was also 70 percent, as it was yesterday as well. So how can this have been a major factor?

We must remember in 2011 BN won 77 percent of the seats compared to 88 percent this time around.

This was also based on the same 70 percent voter turnout, so there must be other reasons other than just voter turnout at play here.

One major factor, of course, was the Chief Minister Adenan Satem himself.

Even the opposition reluctantly admitted today that they lost to Adenan’s popularity.

Both sides of the political divide talk about ‘Team Adenan’, admitting that this was a major deciding factor.

The opposition, on the other hand, had no team. They were terribly fragmented and divided.

While for BN the local Sarawakians were allowed to manage their own affairs, the opposition saw too much meddling from Kuala Lumpur that the voters were no longer sure who was calling the shots.

Voters want to know who will run the state or the country if the opposition wins.

The fact that the opposition, whether at state or federal level, does not have a shadow cabinet creates this uncertainty in the minds of the voters.

The opposition is not able to set up a shadow cabinet because if they do attempt to set one up there will be utter chaos when infighting and jostling for positions start.

And the voters are aware of this.