KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — Seventy-five per cent of Malaysians believe, like their counterparts in other countries, that the current system is rigged against them, a recent survey has found.

The survey by market analysts Ipsos also found that more than half of Malaysians believe that the country is in a decline and that politicians do not care about the people.

The latest finding based on the study titled "Fracturing Societies and Systems” revealed that a majority of people in the countries surveyed globally think their nation is in a decline — a sentiment also shared by more than half of Malaysians.

The study showed that 80 per cent of Malaysians polled feel that the nation needs strong leadership to take the country back from the rich and powerful.

Lars Erik Lie, Associate Director of Ipsos Public Affairs, said on the study conducted that the Covid-19 pandemic has taken a toll on countries across the world and the result is a feeling of decline in Malaysia and beyond.

  "During the crisis, divisions in society between elites and regular people have been magnified.

"In countries across the world, there’s a sense that economic, political and intellectual elites ignore or fail to understand the plight of average people.

"Malaysians feel that strong leadership is required to take the country back from the rich and powerful,” he said.

The survey also showed 63 per cent of Malaysians believe experts in the country have failed to understand the lives of ordinary citizens, while 70 per cent believe traditional parties and politicians do not care about the people.

With less than a week to go before the state of Emergency is scheduled to expire on August 1, Malaysia yesterday recorded its highest daily new Covid-19 cases at 17,405.

Yesterday’s figure broke the previous record high of 17,045 daily Covid-19 cases on July 25.

Malaysia’s current cumulative Covid-19 cases number 1,061,476.