MALAYSIAN Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pictured) has reminded the Selangor Barisan Nasional election machinery to get into "overdrive mode" and not just depend on the increasing popularity of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Muhyiddin, said based on the latest analysis, overall there was increased support for the BN in the state now as compared to 2008 (when the BN lost Selangor to the opposition).

"The main factor for the increased support is because the people of Selangor have very high regard for the leadership of the prime minister and this is a very big plus factor for us," he told a press conference after holding a meeting with teachers, PTA members and board members of national-type Chinese schools from throughout Selangor yesterday.

"The trend generally is positive (for the BN) and we are confident we can win more seats in the next general election. I need not say which are the seats but everyone knows they are a given," he said.

He said it was because, irrespective of race, acceptance of the BN was far better now and this could be due to efforts by the coalition under the leadership of Najib in helping the people cope with the increased cost of living through initiatives like schooling aid and the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) aid programme, which had brought about a major impact.

Muhyiddin said earlier in the day, he had held a meeting with Selangor BN and Umno leaders led by state BN deputy chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar on preparations for the next general election.

"I am satisfied with the preparedness of the Selangor BN and also gave my inputs on areas that needed to be given added focus," he said.

He said besides evaluating the government on the subsidies it was giving in looking after the welfare of the people which now had exceeded RM33 billion including RM17 billion for fuels, the people of Selangor were also evaluating what the Selangor government was doing or not doing for them.

"I can feel there is a lot of dissatisfaction with the Selangor government...unhappiness in the way the state is being run among the general public," he said.

He said the private sector and traders were also unhappy about rising costs, poor fiscal management and state policies that were in conflict with their pledge to be a caring government like in land matters, and issues concerning Yayasan Selangor hostels and management of Universiti Selangor.

It could be the Selangor government paid more attention to earning revenue but the Federal government took into consideration all aspects so that the people were happy, he said.The Star/ANN