SUBANG JAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has brushed off a Merdeka Centre survey stating that the ruling coalition's support had eroded to only 38%.

The survey's findings were presented at a retreat with Pakatan Presidential Council members and MPs at a hotel here on Sunday (Oct 6).

"There are groups that say that the people's support to Pakatan has dropped to 38% from 80%. I do not know from where they got the number but I myself know that many people still wants to shake my hands and take pictures with me.

"Also others (Pakatan leaders) when they go anywhere, people want to take pictures with them.

"However, sometimes, there is a partial census that asks only a small group and the opinions are taken as if it is the whole (community). We feel that it is not accurate as we know that the support for the government is still strong and even though we are made up of five different parties, we are still able to function as a government that is able to discuss problems and make decisions that are accepted by all.

"I think at the parliament level, we still have support, so we are not going to be ousted or pulled down. In the last election, those people who said they were great experts on finding out people's opinions said we were going to lose but we won," said Dr Mahathir.

The one-day retreat on was attended by about 130 MPs from Pakatan and Parti Warisan Sabah to allow for two-way dialogue between Pakatan leaders and MPs without any inhibitions.

The Merdeka Centre survey stating that the ruling coalition only has a popularity of 38% was leaked to the media after it was presented in private at the retreat.