Less than half surveyed say Ismail's right man for the job

GE15 | Some 45.6 percent of Malaysians surveyed by pollster Ilham Centre said they believe caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is the right choice for PM, given the current political scenario.

Of the 1,211 surveyed, about a third said he was not the right choice, while 21.3 percent were unsure.

Interestingly, despite believing he is not the right man for the job, some 52.8 percent of respondents believe he should be given a chance to stay in the post for longer.

It is unclear if this meant he should remain in the job without calling for an election, or that he should be reappointed as PM in a newly-elected government.

When asked if they agreed with holding a general election at the end of the year, some 56.8 percent said yes, 32.3 percent said no, and 10.9 percent were unsure.

The poll, conducted on Oct 20 to Nov 6, was to gauge acceptance levels towards the government and Ismail Sabri's “Keluarga Malaysia” policies.

It was conducted face-to-face with Malaysians in Peninsular Malaysia.

Thumbs up for handouts

When asked for specific policies by the Ismail Sabri government, many gave thumbs up.

For example, 80 percent agreed with reopening the economy on April 1 and the extension of the largest-ever subsidy allocation of RM77.7 billion this year was supported by 78 percent of respondents.

Some 87.2 percent agreed that the Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia cash aid should continue and 84.1 percent said the decision to halt electrical tariff hikes and impose price controls on food items was well-placed.

They also support the cash aids and tax breaks announced in Budget 2023.

The RM150 cash aid for parents of school-going children received the highest approval rate of 91.2 percent.

"This shows Ismail Sabri's appointment as PM was the right decision at the time.

"The PM, who is dubbed the 'designated survivor' clearly survived health, political and economic crises in the 13 months of his administration, in his own style," Ilham Centre said.

A majority of respondents also said there are more economic opportunities after April 1, including in the gig economy and the online business sector.

Close to 40 percent also believed the National Recovery Council, led by PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin, was a waste of public funds and an obstacle for Ismail Sabri to resolve the rakyat's problems.

Investments lacking

Despite the high approval rates for his policies, only 44.4 percent agreed that Malaysia is a chosen destination for overseas investments, which provide job opportunities for locals.

Likewise, only 36 percent believed they had directly benefited from any foreign direct investment, while 30.6 percent said they did not. About a third were unsure.

Even so, Ilham Centre said the high approval rates given for other policy measures showed he has the public support to remain as PM.

"Although a segment of voters, like Chinese voters, remain sceptical, as a whole his leadership has been well-received.

"The fact that 52.8 percent of respondents say he should be given a chance to lead for longer is a key endorsement for him," it said.

Ismail Sabri has been put forward by BN as the coalition's PM candidate, if it wins come polling day on Nov 19.

However, the rival coalition Pakatan Harapan has pushed the narrative that BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is likely to be PM if BN wins. Zahid is facing corruption charges.

Schisms within Umno, between two factions aligned to Ismail Sabri and Zahid respectively, have caused many party veterans and members of the Ismail Sabri cabinet to be dropped as candidates in this GE.

Don't be influenced by findings of independent survey bodies - Ismail

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