File photo of Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. — Photo The Star/ANN

KUALA LUMPUR — The Madani government has seen a slight improvement in voter ratings as its second administrative year comes to a close.

According to findings of a Merdeka Centre survey released on Monday, 54 per cent of voters polled gave the Prime Minister a positive rating, up from 50 per cent last year.

The overall rating for the Federal Government also saw an uptick from 46 per cent last year to 51 per cent.

The survey by the independent organisation focused on public opinion research and socio-economic analysis found voters to be generally satisfied with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s performance in attracting investments, improving the country’s image, and improving the civil service.

They, however, gave a mixed assessment of efforts to strengthen the economy.

The survey was conducted in October and November and involved 1,207 registered voters from all racial backgrounds, comprising 52 per cent Malay, 29 per cent Chinese, seven per cent Indian, six per cent Muslim bumiputra and six per cent non-Muslim bumiputra from Sabah and Sarawak.

More voters, at 39 per cent, think the country is heading in the right direction, compared to 36 per cent last year.

Of the 53 per cent who think the country is heading in the wrong direction, most cite economic issues as the main reason (47 per cent) with the rest attributing it to political instability (seven per cent) or poor administration (eight per cent).

Dissatisfaction towards Putrajaya currently stands at 47 per cent, said the report, largely driven by persistent concerns about cost of living pressures and anxiety over anticipated subsidy cuts. — THE STAR/ANN