PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s (pic) approval rating has increased this year compared with last year, according to a survey from the Merdeka Centre.
It said more respondents have a positive perception towards the government this year compared with last year.
The research house said 54% of the respondents surveyed this year gave Anwar, who became Prime Minister in November 2022, a positive rating compared with 50% in 2023.
“Respondents were generally satisfied with the Prime Minister’s performance in attracting investments, and improving the country’s image and the civil service,” it said in a statement yesterday.
But respondents gave a mixed assessment when asked about the government’s efforts to strengthen the economy, it added.
The survey by the opinion research firm was conducted from Oct 10 to Nov 27.
It involved 1,207 registered voters from all racial backgrounds, comprising Malays (52%), Chinese (29%), Indians (7%) and 6% each from Muslim bumiputra and non-Muslim bumiputra respondents from Sabah and Sarawak.
The Merdeka Centre said the survey saw an increase in the positive rating of the federal government among respondents, rising from 46% in November 2023 to 51% this year.
Additionally, 39% of the survey’s respondents believe the country is heading in the right direction, an increase from 36% in November last year.
However, 53% of the respondents think the country is heading in the wrong direction – a one-point rise from 2023, with concern largely focused on the national economy.
The main reason cited by respondents were economic issues (47%), followed by poor administration (8%) and political instability (7%).
The report said 47% of the respondents felt dissatisfied with the federal government, a sentiment largely driven by persistent concerns about cost of living pressures and anxiety over subsidy cuts slated to take place in the future.
The survey, which is fully funded by the Merdeka Centre, is focused on public opinion research and socioeconomic analysis.
The survey measured the government’s performance on eight parameters, i.e. generating economic growth, addressing cost of living issues, improving integrity of government officials, fighting corruption, maintaining the rule of law, helping those in financial distress, improving government efficiency and improving ethnic relations.
