Research: Najib's rating still low among urbanites, Dr M well ahead

A Financial Times research group survey showed that the approval rating for caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's performance was low among the urban populace.

The results summarised in a chart by FT Confidential Research (FTCR), which conducts quarterly surveys involving 1,000 urban respondents across Malaysia, indicated that Najib's approval rating was near the 10 percent mark for Q1 this year.

The FTCR report titled "Malaysian election may spring a surprise" published today did not provide the exact numbers on Najib's approval rating.

However, it was clear from the charts that those who disapproved of Najib's performance had reduced significantly - from close to 80 percent in Q4 2015 to about 50 percent as of Q1 this year, while the number of those who expressed neutrality grew in tandem.

FTCR does not provide details on the methodology involved in the survey.

In contrast, pollster Merdeka Centre, in a survey involving 1,028 Peninsular Malaysia voters selected based on random stratification in May 2010, suggested that Najib's approval rating was at an all-time high of 72 percent.

By late 2014, Merdeka Centre suggested that Najib's approval rating was below 50 percent. The group's website has not been publishing Najib's approval ratings since.

Meanwhile, the abovementioned chart by FTCR had suggested that 31.1 percent of respondents approved of the idea of having Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister again.

Only 22.5 percent of respondents disapproved while 46.3 percent were neutral.

Another survey of 252 respondents from Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Hulu Perak - all Malay heartlands - this month, suggested that 51.8 percent of respondents had negative feelings on the economy.

Only 23.7 percent of respondents felt upbeat about the economy while 24.5 percent were neutral.

On a question regarding sentiments on political conditions, 50.2 percent of the respondents expressed negative feelings, while 23.7 percent expressed positive feelings.

Again, FTCR did not explain the methodology behind this survey. -Mkini