PM’s popularity dives, fake report surfaces

A survey reveals that Najib's popularity has dipped but a fake news report claims that it rose to 73%.

KUALA LUMPUR: Just ahead of a crucial polls which is threatening Barisan Nasional’s five-decade-old grip on power, a survey has revealed that the coalition chairman Najib Tun Razak’s popularity ratings have dipped.

But in an attempt to offset the negative impact, a fake news report has been circulated painting a different picture.

This report claims that Najib’s ratings have soared to 73%, and that he is leading opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim by 32% as the choice for prime minister.

The fake report also features the bylines of two Malaysian Insider journalists and the news portal’s masthead.

The Merdeka Centre survey actually found that Najib’s ratings have dropped to 61% from 64% in March.

The independent pollster also reported that BN and Pakatan Rakyat are almost evenly tied to win GE 13.

It also reported that 42% of voters surveyed agreed that the opposition pact should be given a chance to govern the country against 41% who felt that only BN should govern Malaysia.

Merdeka Centre said the figure reflected the slide in the “feel good” factor previously generated by the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) and also other forms of cash handouts.

Topping the list of concerns was the economy at 25%.

The centre also predicted that BN will win an estimated 81 parliamentary seats while Pakatan will win an estimated 89.

The survey was carried out among 1,600 registered voters through telephone interviews, with 59% of respondents being Malay, 32% Chinese and Indians 9%.

As for the fake report, it claimed that Najib’s ratings witnessed a drastic improvement due to concerns over hudud and economic stability.

Yesterday, FMT reported that an article published in its website had also been twisted and circulated.

The original article quoted WargaAman secretary-general S Barathidasan calling on Indians to vote for Pakatan, while the edited version stated otherwise.