Poll: Two-thirds of Malaysians believe country on right track after GE15

 

A survey conducted by international market research firm Ipsos has found that two-thirds of Malaysians believe the country is moving in the right direction five months after the 15th general election.

Its recent poll titled ‘What Worries Malaysia’ showed that public opinion of the nation started to change for the better following the election in November 2022 and peaked in January 2023.

“After five months with the new government, two-thirds of Malaysians believe the country is on the right track,” Ipsos’ managing director Arun Meron and public affairs research manager Iris Ng said in the study’s press release.

The study also revealed that down from its peak in January 2023 at 43 percent, inflation is no longer the main issue for respondents, with just 36 percent citing it as such.

“The first quarter of 2023 has seen the economic landscape readjust to post-Covid and post-election reality.

“The Covid-19 concern has receded while corruption, inflation and unemployment/jobs have taken over as the main worries of Malaysians,” they said.

Corruption has supplanted inflation as the public's main concern according to 51 percent of the respondents - up from 43 percent in January 2023, while 35 percent listed unemployment and the labour market as fears.

High cost of living

The study also revealed that Malaysians are less at ease making purchases currently; only 47 percent of the 500 respondents said they felt comfortable making household purchases, and 43 percent stated the same about significant purchases.

“Inflation is persistent as one of the key concerns, while it has shown early signs of trending down.

“Pressured by inflation, economic confidence and consumer purchase intent are slipping from the post-election sentiment lift,” Arun and Ng concluded.

The Anwar Ibrahim-led government was headstrong in tackling persistent issues in the country such as the high cost of living once they came to power last November.

The “Payung Rahmah” effort, which includes the Menu Rahmah initiative, was introduced in January 2023 as part of the government's plans to lower the cost of living among the low-income category.

The rework of Budget 2023 was also lauded for putting intense focus on priorities such as the cost of living and livelihood of B40 and M40.

Every month, 500 Malaysians are polled as part of the Ipsos survey, which is carried out in 32 countries using an online portal system. Ipsos does not claim to be using a random stratified sampling method. - Mkini