Abdullah is expected to hold a ballot in March, but faces an array of negative factors including public anger over rising food and fuel prices, unprecedented street protests, and problems within coalition parties.
Asked if he was confident of the 14-party National Front coalition repeating its stunning 2004 election victory, Abdullah said: "I don't think so. If I get (a repeat), I'll be very, very happy, (but) I'm very practical."
According to the state Bernama news agency, Abdullah said late Tuesday that the 2004 results garnered after he replaced former leader Mahathir Mohamad were an exception as the change had brought about high hopes.
"There were high expectations, a lot of things to change, but I cannot change everything and there was an expectation," he said in acknowledgement of feelings that he has failed to fulfil some of his core promises.
"This has to be done, that has to be done. It's not that we have not done anything, I've started to implement practically everything that I promised," he said.
"I have started to do it and it is in the process of being implemented. That's what we are doing."
The government has been shaken by rare public demonstrations which erupted last November, targeting a variety of causes including alleged discrimination against Malaysia's ethnic Indians, and electoral reform.
There is also discontent over the government's warning it will have to remove costly fuel subsidies, and anger over spiralling food prices and periodic shortages of staples including flour and oil.
After a resounding victory in 2004, which reversed losses made in 1999, commentators say the pendulum is likely to swing against the government again.
The ruling United Malays National Organisation has led the National Front coalition in government for half a century.
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