(The Sun Daily) - Political analysts believe that apart from retaining Selangor, Kelantan, Penang and Kedah, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has a good chance of recapturing Perak in the next general election (GE), Sin Chew Daily reported today.

The report said of the states it captured in the last GE, PR is expected to sail through in Penang but will have a tough fight in Selangor.

Political analysts said although PR regards Johor, Sabah and Sarawak as its frontline states, Barisan Nasional (BN) still has the upper hand in their so-called "fixed deposit" states.

However, they believe PR will still win a few more parliamentary seats in each of these states.

Political scientist Dr Ho Khai Leong said given the gap in the number of seats held by PR and BN in the PR-led states, BN needs to do extremely well to recapture them.

"Selangor is more urbanised than other states. The issues of crime, transport and spiralling property prices are plaguing the people who feel they have not benefited much from the present government."

Ho also predicts a fierce fight between the two coalitions in Perak.

Given that the Chinese are unhappy with the way BN wrested power from PR in Perak after the last GE, it would not be surprising for PR to take over the state again in GE13, he said.

Political analyst Dr Thock Kiah Wah shared Ho's view, saying the Chinese may cast protest votes to "punish" the BN.

On talk that the number of Kedah government policies that irked the Chinese in the last five years may cause PR the state, Ho said the small percentage of Chinese voters would not make much difference.

However, Thock cautioned that the influence of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the state cannot be underestimated.