KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 ― Most polled in a survey conducted by an opposition-backed think tank had negative views about the government’s economic management.

The Invoke Centre for Policy Initiatives, in unveiling the survey results today, said more than 60 per cent of respondents felt that the economy "was not on the right direction”.

"There is consistency in how the respondents responded… that only 41 per cent were supportive of Barisan Nasional and Najib Razak,” the group’s chief and Pandan PKR MP Rafizi Ramli told the media.

The conclusion was made based on the a long-held consensus that cost of living will be a major driver in voting pattern, Rafizi explained.

The group contacted up to 1.9 million people through an interactive voice response system, but only 3,783 answered all the questions.

BN scored poorly in all of the interview segments.

When asked if they were confident of the government’s economic policies, 65 per cent of the respondents felt that the economy had worsened since Election 2013.

At the same time up to 64 per cent said they have no confidence that their situation would improve up to next year.

Commenting on the matter, Rafizi said the bleak public outlook on the economy gauged from the survey stood in stark contrast to the often feel-good data touted by Putrajaya as proof of its policies’ success.

This is most evident in the disconnect between the official inflation numbers and the real price increases of basic goods, he said.

Half of the respondents believed food prices have increased by more than 10 per cent while 36 per cent felt they rose up to 10 per cent.

Meanwhile 64 per cent of the respondents complaint that costs for their children education like clothes, daily expenses and others have increased by up to one-fifth.

The Consumer Price Index on food items rose to 4.4 per cent in May compared to the same period last year. Non-food items went up by 3.7 per cent.

Inflation as of June rose by 2 to 3 per cent, according official data.

"What this indicates is the huge disconnect between the official inflation numbers and the impact of inflation felt on the ground,” Rafizi commented on the finding.

"This disparity reflects just how low public trust is towards the official figures”.

The Pandan MP believes the poor public sentiment will likely force Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to delay calling for elections to next year.

"Again the survey’s findings are consistent with our previous finding that the approval rating for Najib and Umno is around 42 per cent.. that means he is unlikely to call for elections this year so as to have time to improve the economic situation,” he said.