Popularity UP, what next?

It would not be wise to ask the Prime Minister when he would be calling for the next general election (coz no PM in the right frame of mind is gonna reveal that secret to you). 

Judging by the rate at which PM Najib Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin have been  crisscrossing the country, the g/election could have been held last week and both of them would have been re-elected in Pekan and Pagoh respectively.

But what about their team, the mighty Barisan Nasional? Are the coalition members ready to face the rakyat in the 13th general elections or are they still engrossed in their very own internal power struggles and backstabbing? How is Umno? What about the 13 other BN components, are they ready?

These are the many questions facing the ruling coalition.

As of today, everybody seem happy the PM's popularity is looking up. There are a few more 'unfinished jobs' which when settled could push the PM's marks even higher. 

Topping the list of the PM's 'unfinished job' is certainly the need to retire Shahrizat Jalil. The NFC saga or 'cerita lembu' has engulfed the entire nation. 

All eyes are on the PM..or rather have been on the PM for a couple of months now.

People are looking at the PM for answers as Shahrizat has been repeatedly saying "I leave it to the PM'. 

Since she has been 'leaving it to you", why don't you 'leave her', Prime Minister?

Well, the PM's ratings are 'jumping ahead' as a Reuters reports below suggest but there is a need to manage the jump so as not to stumble upon another cow. 

Another cow, Mr Prime Minister, would spell disaster!

Support for Malaysia's Najib jumps ahead of election

By Stuart Grudgings

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysians' approval of Prime Minister Najib Razak jumped in recent months, an opinion poll released on Friday showed, putting him on a firm footing ahead of national elections that are expected to be called within months.

Support for Najib rose to 69 percent in February from 59 percent last August, according to the poll conducted by the Merdeka Center, the country's most respected polling firm.

The firm attributed the higher rating to an improving economy, the disbursement of social funds to lower-income households, and security reforms announced by Najib in the wake of street protests in Kuala Lumpur last year.

The government has handed out cash payments of 500 ringgit to households earning 3,000 ringgit or less per month and increased pay and pensions for the 1.4-million strong civil service, a key vote base for the ruling National Front coalition.

"In our view, the rise in public satisfaction may be due to widespread awareness of the prime minister's people-friendly initiatives and proposals to improve Malaysia's democratic credentials," the Merdeka Center said in a statement.

Najib, who has reached out to Malaysia's middle class as a reformer, is trying to gain his first electoral mandate and reverse a shockingly bad performance by the ruling coalition in 2008 that saw the three-party opposition make historic gains.

Najib, who took over as prime minister in 2009, can wait until April next year to call the election but most analysts expect him to call it earlier, before the feel-good factor from the recent handouts fades.

The 58-year-old has toured the country in recent weeks to drum up support for his long-ruling United Malays National Organization and his government is expected to introduce a national minimum wage in the coming weeks -- another potential boost to poorer families.

The Merdeka Center poll found that support for Najib was highest among poorer Malaysians, reaching 78 percent among households earning less than 1,500 ringgit a month. The survey was carried out between February 10 and 23 among 1,022 registered voters. - Reuters

NEXT: Sacrifice the cow and act against all those who have been behaving like cows. You, Mr Prime Minister, would come out of the next GE... shining. 


- APANAMA