PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim brushed aside the high rating received by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in a recent opinion poll , attributing it to Malaysians' fear of voicing dissent.

Likening Malaysians to Iraqis under Saddam Hussein's regime, the former deputy premier suggested that the government spies on individuals interviewed for such opinion polls.

"What do you expect them to say? They are government servants," Anwar told a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall after a party function last night.

"I went through the report. If you are government servant, what do you say? You say you support...if you have Special Branch (police intelligence unit) coming around and you are not sure that the answers will be strictly confidential.

"I trust the Merdeka Centre report. It is quite a credible report. (But) If you had asked Iraqis during Saddam (Hussein's regime), 99 percent would have said they supported him...for whatever reason."

He also said Malaysians are smart and that they would answer according to what the police want to hear.

Last week, the Merdeka Research Centre released its findings on an pre-election opinion poll which gauged voter views on a variety of national issues.

The poll, involving phone interviews with 1,022 respondents throughout Peninsular Malaysia, was carried out in June.

The results showed that 71 percent of respondents approved of Abdullah's administration. He also received the widest support from Malay voters , with 86 percent registering their approval of his leadership.

However, Anwar offered his take on how this may pan out in terms of votes.

"In 2004, in a survey, 90 percent expressed support for Dollah (Abdullah). Did they translate into votes. No. (It was equivalent to) 60 percent," he said in reference to the popular vote for the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the general election that year.

'We'll handle problems'

Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein also dismissed the findings, but on a different matter, at a press conference after the wing's meeting in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

He expressed confidence that the BN component parties would receive support from the Chinese, despite the poll indicating their increased dissatisfaction with the government.

"A study is only a study. Personally, 50 percent of my constituents are non-Malays and non-Bumiputeras. I have never had a problem when I go down to the ground. I am confident that in the next general election they will vote for BN," he said.

"There might be certain things which we have to handle, and we should handle it. Our plan in BN is a plan for everyone. Our promises will be fulfilled through the 9th Malaysia Plan. Let the public evaluate for themselves.

"This is not the first time we are facing an election...For every report involving (negative) public perceptions, (we have) to make sure these are overcome in the best possible way before an election (rather than react afterwards)."

While a general election need not be held before 2009, speculation has intensified that it will be held by early next year.