Rais questions survey on Najib's popularity

Information, Communications and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim today questioned the sampling method used in a recent survey which showed a dip in the popularity of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

He said the sampling method of the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research had not considered the rural community, the Indian community in perspective, and the community in Kuala Lumpur which strongly supported the prime minister.

The survey of 1,027 respondents saw Najib's rating drop six percent, from 65 percent in May 2011 to 59 percent in August.

Rais said an Information Department survey of 50,000 respondents comprising people of all walks of life throughout the country, including in Sabah and Sarawak, found that the people mostly accepted the leadership of the prime minister and the BN government.

Pollster's sampling 'restricted'

Speaking to reporters at the Aidilfitri open house hosted by Najib and other cabinet ministers at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya, he said the Merdeka Centre should adopt a comprehensive approach when conducting a survey, similar to the method employed in several Western countries.

"Its samplings are restricted and confined only to certain quarters. As such, the results will not be founded on the actual situation," he said.

Rais also said that the number of people calling at the Seri Perdana open house, which was expected to be higher than in previous years, reflected the confidence of the people in the leadership of Najib as the prime minister.

- Bernama