Anwar’s Popularity Dives Before Anniversary as Malaysia’s Economy Weighs

  • Anwar’s approval rating falls to 50% from 68% in December
  • Voters cite economic concerns as the biggest issue: Merdeka

Anwar Ibrahim

Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
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Support for Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has fallen less than a year of being in power, as concerns over the economy dominated voters’ minds.

The premier’s approval rating dropped to 50% from 68% in December, according to a poll by Merdeka Center for Opinion Research conducted from Oct. 4 to Oct. 24. The survey also showed that dissatisfaction over the government’s handling of the economy climbed to 43% from 19%.