Updated 1 June 2009 at 5.45pm
PETALING JAYA, 1 June 2009: Forty-five percent of voters from peninsular Malaysia are satisfied with the performance of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, according to a recent survey by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research.
The survey, the first to be conducted since Najib came into power in early April, found that support for Najib came from the Malay Malaysian and Indian Malaysian communities, with 53% and 64% expressing satisfaction respectively. Only 24% of Chinese Malaysian respondents said they were satisfied.
The survey also saw 39% of all individuals polled declining to respond to queries about Najib’s performance as premier.
(Thumbs-up pic by magicmarie/sxc.hu)
The approval rating is a 1% rise from the ratings a week before Najib’s appointment on 3 April 2009 as Malaysia’s sixth prime minister. Then, 44% of peninsular Malaysians strongly agreed that Najib would make a good prime minister.
To the question about the most important issue Najib had to address, 35% of respondents in the current poll cited economic concerns. Issues of race relations came in second place, preoccupying 12% of respondents.
The peninsular Malaysia voter opinion poll was carried out between 6 and 15 May 2009. It was conducted as the Perak state assembly controversy and the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak were unfolding.
A total of 1,067 registered voters from peninsular Malaysia were interviewed by telephone. The sample comprised of 56% Malay Malaysians, 34% Chinese Malaysians, and 10% Indian Malaysians.
The survey found that the opinions of peninsular Malaysians were split when it came to whether Malaysia today was heading in the right direction, with 42% responding in the positive. An almost equal number of respondents (41%) believed that Malaysia was heading in the “wrong direction”, while 16% said they didn’t know.
This question was also divided by ethnicity, with 57% of Malay Malaysians answering in the positive, compared to only 43% among Indian Malaysians and 16% among Chinese Malaysians.
“What in your view is the most important issue
the prime minister needs to address?”
Breakdown of responses by 1,067 voters:
| Address economic issues | 23% |
| Don’t know | 12% |
| Fair treatment to all races | 7% |
| Give assistance to the poor and rural areas/poverty | 7% |
| Solve social problems | 6% |
| Unite all races/strengthen ethnic relations | 5% |
| Reduce prices | 5% |
| Fight corruption | 5% |
| Solve crime and public safety | 5% |
| Stabilise political situation in the country | 5% |
| None | 5% |
| Solve conflicts in Perak | 3% |
| Others | 3% |
| Uphold Islam and special Malay privileges | 2% |
| Revamp certain policies (PPSMI, ISA, education, etc.) | 2% |
| Revamp BN/Umno/administration | 2% |
| No response | 2% |
| Clear allegations against him/regain the trust of the people | 1% |
| No confidence in Najib in solving any problems at all | 1% |
Most respondents thought that economic issues were paramount in Malaysia today (31%), with social issues (12%) and crime and public safety issues (11%) coming in second.
Worries about political infighting have subsided, with only 9% of respondents citing political issues as the most important problem that needed solving. 
maat says
How random is the random sample? What is the age, sex, urban-rural matrix? We can always get a sample in our favour depending who pays for the survey.
tangkup says
This survey is not reflective of 1Malaysia because 1Malaysia from Sarawak and Sabah are excluded as always because when Sarawak and Sabah matters then only are they included, such as the BN forming the government. As Najib said, Sabah is the fixed deposit! Don’t believe that survey!
kahseng says
The margin of error would likely be much greater than 1%. So it is misleading to entitle your article saying rating is “up” when the number has risen by only 1% since April. Some other observations or angle would be a better title.
This is especially so when 39% refused to answer the related questions.
James says
Yes this ONE-TERM prime minister knows fully well that he is here for ONLY one term. Is he going to try his best for the rakyat, nation and religion? Of course NOT; he is only for himself and his cronies who will do their utmost to plunder the nation. Proof — he is not interested in the nation; only in touring the world at tax payers’ expenses.
zach says
Two months into the job and he has not convinced me, not one bit.
jenz says
@James
Yeah, if PR takes over, stop them from touring around the world, too. Do a new policy in which Malaysia’s leaders do not need to visit its counterparts in other countries. Closed-door policy, maybe.
tkwah says
Is 45% a “good score” for the supposedly “last PM” from Umno based on the R-A-H-M-A-N “prophecy”?
james au says
WOW! 45% popularity vote is a dream come true for our PM. You don’t need such high score to be the #1 statesman! He has beaten all the benchmarks to stay on top. To be a sucessful Barisan Nasional politician in Malaysia, it is a prerequite to possess some critical credentials.
Just to name a few. At times, you have to behave a little retarded. Sometimes, a bit forgetful. You are to act slow when things seem tough and act fast when there is nothing to do. You must pass a test to speak the truth and deny the truth if necessary. One must learn to acquire the art of reversing what you have said. And be very skillful in putting the blame on others. Be quick to embrace and proclaim one’s own deeds. Be alert to finding faults and condemning anyone who disagree with your policies.
Pretend to stay mum when things go wrong. “I don’t know”, ” I’m not aware”, “Nobody told me” is the final answer to everything and so on, etc etc. But the most important cardinal rule in U.M.N.O. politics is U.Must.Not.Oppose. Remember this like a prayer….and you will be flying! It’s that simple.
rashid awang says
Congratulations Datuk PM.