KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 — Independent pollster Merdeka Center said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s personal approval rating has slipped to 50 per cent amid rising concern over the performance of Malaysia’s economy.

In its latest survey findings released today, Merdeka Center said 48 per cent of respondents in its October poll said they were now unhappy with how the Anwar administration was performing.

"In our view, the movements in voter sentiments are largely driven by their concerns over the economy and how it affects their livelihoods.

"Only 31 per cent of the voters think the country is heading in the right direction while 60 per cent think it is heading in the wrong direction.

"The major reasons for the wrong direction are economic issues (56 per cent), political instability (13 per cent) and poor administration (9 per cent),” it said.

In the December edition of the poll, Anwar’s approval rating had been 68 per cent while satisfaction with the federal government had stood at 54 per cent.

"In our opinion, the survey reflects the expectations held by the electorate on the administration to regenerate economic growth as well as address longstanding anxiety over inflation and tepid wage growth.

"Other issues that will shape public opinion into the future will include the form and substance of potential subsidies withdrawal, new taxation as well as revamp in the cash transfers programme,” it said, referring to announcements made by Anwar in his role as the finance minister regarding the Budget 2024.

In the poll, 78 per cent said that the growth of the economy was their top concern.

About 1,220 registered voters were surveyed by telephone from October 4 to October 24 in proportions reflective of the national electoral profile regarding their perception of current developments.

Random stratified sampling was used to select respondents along categories of age group, ethnicity, gender, and state constituency.