PETALING JAYA: A recent survey conducted by international market research firm Ipsos has revealed that Malaysians are primarily concerned about political or financial corruption during the post-pandemic economic recovery period. Precisely 50% of the sample indicated that corruption remains their most serious concern. Inflation came in as the second most prominent issue, with 40% of respondents expressing concern, followed by unemployment and job insecurity, which weighed on the minds of 34%.
Ipsos Public Affairs senior research manager, Azamat Ababakirov, stated on Thursday (Aug 24) that “the top three issues concerning Malaysians – political/financial corruption, inflation, and unemployment – have stabilized at their current levels since January.” Regarding inflation, despite government efforts to address it, the persistent concern remains the second most worrisome issue in Malaysia every month since June.
Ababakirov also observed a declining trend in consumer purchase intentions since the beginning of the year. He noted, “consumer intentions to purchase household and big-ticket items have been on a downward trajectory since the start of this year.” The percentage of respondents planning household purchases dropped from 56% in January to 44% in July.
However, despite these concerns, the survey found that Malaysians generally maintain a positive outlook on the country’s direction. As of July, 60% of respondents believed that the country was on the right track. Nonetheless, this figure experienced a decline from the 74% recorded in January.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
