The outcome of the 11th Sarawak state election will provide an indicator as to how the Barisan Nasional should go about in facing the 14th general election, said Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang.

He said the results of the state election should serve as a benchmark for the BN to strengthen and consolidate the party machinery.

"The implication of this state election to Malaysia will be huge because it is the earliest election prior to the 14th general election which is likely to be held in 2018," he said.

Azman was delivering a talk on 'The Sarawak State Election and its Implications on the Federation of Malaysia' organised by the Kelab Bakti Gunung Keledang here Wednesday night.

The Election Commission announced today that Sarawakians would go to the polls on May 7. It has set nomination for April 25.

Azman said he was convinced the BN would retain power in Sarawak because Tan Sri Adenan Satem had implemented about 60 measures in the run-up to the state election after he took office as the chief minister in 2014.

"These measures included combating illegal logging that had the attention of the world, especially environmentalists," he said.

Azman said it was his personal view that the opposition would not gain any ground by harping on "external" issues in the state election because the people of Sarawak only paid heed to local issues.

In the 10th state election, in 2011, the BN won 55 of the 71 seats at stake, DAP won 12 (and lost one after it sacked an assemblymen for alleged infighting), PKR won three and an Independent won one.

In this election, the number of seats has increased by 11 to 82 following a redelineation of electoral boundaries last year.