Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who appeared unfazed by the falling approval ratings, said his administration should be assessed based on a longer time frame.

According to Merdeka Center, Mahathir and his government's approval rating has been declining since Pakatan Harapan routed BN in the last general election.

The latest figures suggested that Mahathir's approval rating as prime minister was 46 percent while his government's rating was 39 percent.

Asked to respond to comments by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim that the government was losing support from the grassroots because it was pandering to the urban elite, Mahathir disagreed with this assessment.