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NewsFocus: Positive voter support for PM
25-Nov-2007, New Strait Times
  A Merdeka Center survey on voter sentiment in Peninsular Malaysia puts the finger on the pulse of the electorate. Despite some major concerns, public confidence in the PM and the government remains stable and positive. ECONOMIC concerns, public safety and corruption are the top three issues for the Malaysian voter ahead of the coming general election, a recent public opinion poll has found. The survey, the first in a series commissioned by the New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad to track voter sentiments, was conducted early this month by opinion polling outfit Merdeka Center. Overall, the survey found a stable and positive voter support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the Barisan Nasional government. The 1,024 respondents polled throughout Peninsular Malaysia -- chosen to form a sample reflecting its population profile -- were also mostly satisfied with conditions in the country. Respondents registered mark- ed concerns though on some subjects, notably the economy.
To an open-ended question, one in five listed price hikes, the rising cost of living, jobs and other economic issues as the "most important problem affecting Malaysia today". Crime and public safety came in as the second biggest concern. The heightened public unease, noted the survey findings, came in the wake of a string of high-profile crimes in recent months, such as the rape and murder of 8-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin. The third biggest concern was corruption, in part also due to recent high-profile cases as well as the 2006 Auditor-General's report released two months ago. Despite the mix of concerns, the survey noted that it was economic issues -- namely the impact of rising world oil prices and a more competitive global economy on the ordinary voter -- that would likely drive considerations for many in the coming polls. "The economy's effects on ordinary voters will likely be at the top of voter concerns as we approach elections, followed by the government's ability to deliver on some promises and address ongoing issues including corruption," said Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian.
Differing views among the three ethnic communities polled -- which an earlier Merdeka Center poll in June had detected -- also surfaced in the recent survey on some subjects, notably when it came to economic concerns and attitudes towards the government. The ethnic gap narrowed though on the role the opposition is best suited for. More than 60 per cent of respondents from all three races said the opposition should just provide checks and balances to the BN instead of working to form the next government. Asked about the ability of the present government to meet the aspirations of the people, 58 per cent of all the respondents said they were satisfied. Another 32 per cent said they were dissatisfied, while the remaining 10 per cent either gave no response or said they didn't know.
The figures, noted Ibrahim, loosely mirrored the outcome of the 2004 general election, which saw a roughly 60-40 balance between the BN and opposition in terms of the popular vote percentage."There seems to be a trend among Chinese voters who want to see a stronger opposition in parliament, but at the same time, Malay voter support for the opposition appears to have sagged on the back of strong commodity prices, pay increases for civil servants and the announcement of growth regions in various parts of the country," the survey findings said. The overall approval rating for the prime minister, the survey found, also remained steady, especially among the Malays. "Despite the issues, public confidence in the PM's control over government remains stable and positive," the survey findings noted. The series of surveys were jointly funded by NSTP (M) Berhad and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. Go to www.nst.com.my for more on the survey findings
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