Survey detects dip in support for PM

A Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (UMCEDEL) survey has found a slight drop in the people's support for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

This is in comparison to surveys done between March 31 and April 15, and another carried out between Sept 1 and Sept 15 this year.

While the survey found Najib's popularity between March and April stood at 61 percent, it noted a drop by three percent five months later.

The survey involved 1,536 respondents nationwide and has a margin of error of 2.5 percent and a 95 percent belief ratio.

The survey also found a decline in confidence that a Najib-led BN would retain Putrajaya in the 13th general election.

It further noted a decline in support for the PM's transformation programmes.

UMCEDEL's survey comes on the back of another survey carried out by Merdeka Centre in June, which also noted a slight reduction in popular support for Najib following the crackdown on the Bersih 3.0 rally in April.

72 percent wants Najib-Anwar debate

The survey also found that 72 percent of the 1,536 respondents want to see a debate between Najib and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Meanwhile, the survey found 17 percent do not want this while the remaining 11 percent do not know.

Anwar has several times threw the gauntlet for a debate with Najib on the economy since May this year.

This followed various debates held between DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek, and also the debate on the National Higher Education fund between PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli with Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar.

Meanwhile the two titans of the Chinese community, Lim and Dr Chua had both debated twice in February and also in July.