Most Malaysians believe country heading in wrong direction, survey finds

A Merdeka Center survey shows that more than half of Malaysians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, caused by concerns over the country's economy and governance. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, September 16, 2015.

More than half of Malaysians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, a survey by Merdeka Center has found, caused by concerns over the country's economy and governance.

The findings came amid worries over the country's economic woes and a political scandal currently engulfing the prime minister.

The National Unity Survey, which was conducted between February 14 and June 6 this year involving 4,352 respondents, found that 55% of those polled felt that the country is going in the wrong direction.

Only 30% felt it was headed in the right direction.

Of the 55%, 74% of them cited economic concerns and politics and governance as reasons.

Of the 4,352 surveyed, 51% were Malays, 27% Chinese, 8% Indian, 11% non-Muslim bumiputeras and 3% Muslim bumiputeras.

The results of the survey were presented by respected pollster Ibrahim Suffian.

Despite assurances from Putrajaya that Malaysia's fundamentals are strong, concerns have been mounting over the economy as the ringgit, Asia's worst performing currency in the past one year, slide beyond the RM4 mark against the US dollar.

This had been attributed to worsening global outlook, China's surprise devaluation of the yuan, plunging commodity prices and the current political scandal linked to prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the RM2.6 billion "donation" from an unknown Middle Eastern donor into his personal accounts while at the same time, his brainchild, state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) is facing multiple probes into alleged financial irregularities.

The National Unity survey noted that negative view on the direction of the country comes from mostly non-Muslim community, with the Chinese and Indian respondents recorded the highest at 78% and 69% respectively.

The survey also found those with higher household income and with Internet access tends to have a more pessimistic view of the country's direction.

In terms of the economy, 65% of the respondents perceived the national economy is not performing well, while on a personal level, 58% said they are struggling to meet their ends meet.

Sixty-three percent of the respondents were dissatisfied with the way Putrajaya is managing the economy, while 58% think that government programmes only benefit the rich and politically connected.

Nearly half of the respondents perceived the government negatively, especially among the non-bumiputeras, those with higher household income and with Internet access.

However, the survey found a silver lining in that at the local community level, 75% of the respondents reported that they enjoy good communal relationship in their neighbourhoods with very low reported racial-religious incidents.

- TMI