Kuala Lumpur – Voter approval ratings for the Madani government have improved slightly as the second administrative year comes to an end.
According to a survey released by the Merdeka Center on Monday (December 23), 54% of voters surveyed had a positive evaluation of the prime minister, up from 50% last year.
The federal government's overall score also rose to 51% from 46% last year.
The independent organization's survey, which focused on public opinion research and socio-economic analysis, found voters were generally satisfied with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's performance in attracting investment, improving the country's image and improving civil service services.
However, they gave mixed reviews to efforts to strengthen the economy.
The survey was conducted in October and November and involved 1,207 registered voters from various ethnic backgrounds, of which 52% were Malays, 29% were Chinese, 7% were Indians, 6% were Muslim indigenous people in Sabah and Sarawak, 6 % are non-Muslim indigenous.
More voters (39%) believe the country is moving in the right direction, compared with 36% last year.
53% believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, with the majority citing economic problems as the main reason (47%) and the remainder blaming political instability (7%) or poor governance (8%).
The report said the current dissatisfaction rate with Putrajaya is 47%, mainly due to ongoing concerns about cost of living pressures and anxiety over expected subsidy cuts.
