ISMAIL Sabri Yaakob’s pro-people announcements and policies received a high approval rating among respondents in a survey, independent pollster Ilham Centre said today. 

It added that its survey on Ismail’s administration and policies showed 52.8% of respondents felt he should be given more time to lead the government. 

However, only 45.6% said he should return as prime minister. 

Ismail is Barisan Nasional’s poster boy for this election. 

The survey also found that respondents were positively receptive of policies implemented during his administration. 

Eight in 10 felt he made the right decision to reopen economic sectors in April this year. 

“It was obviously shown that all pro-people announcements and policies implemented received a high approval, contributing towards his popularity among most of the public,” Ilham Centre said in a report today. 

“With 52.8% believing he should have been given more time to lead the country with a full mandate, this should be an important endorsement for him.”

The caretaker prime minister’s popularity rating as found in this survey was lower than the one Merdeka Centre released last week, which showed his approval rating falling from 42% to 40%. 

Ilham Centre’s survey was done between October 20 and November 6 this year, with face-to-face interviews involving 1,211 respondents. – November 16, 2022.