MALAYSIANS have confidence Perikatan Nasional’s handling of Covid-19 pandemic, a survey by the UCSI Poll Research Centre shows.

More than 63% of 1,166 respondents said they had confidence in the government, research centre director Associate Professor Dr Pek Chuen Khee said in a statement today.

“We are unsure whether this sentiment remains or lessen after a series of announcements made by the government in the past few days in regard to the standard operating procedures, work from home directive as well as the movement restriction order,” he said.

Several events have transpired since the survey was held.

On Wednesday, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said it was now mandatory for management and supervisory level workers to work from home in areas under a conditional movement-control order.

About a million workers will be affected in Sabah, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan.

The directive was issued to stem the rising cases of coronavirus in these states and territories.

Meanwhile, the cabinet has voted to declare a national state of emergency, a proposal awaiting the king’s consent for implementation.

Pek said a majority of the survey respondents agreed the current administration needed to establish a joint committee with the former government to combat the pandemic.

He said 75.9% of the respondents agreed with the idea.

Pek said the government must continue to focus on the pandemic.

“They should pay attention to this matter and handle it accordingly.” – October 24, 2020.