HKU POP SITE releases the latest results on the four subjective freedom indicators Back

The Public Opinion Programme (POP) at the University of Hong Kong today releases on schedule via the "HKU POP SITE" (http://hkupop.pori.hk) the latest results on the 4 subjective freedom indicators on Hong Kong's freedom of "speech", "press", "publication" and "procession and demonstration". POP's normal practice is to release the results of our regular surveys every Tuesday at 2 pm via our POP Site, except during public holidays, each time with a forecast of the items to be released in the forthcoming week. We will review and adjust this operation regularly. According to this schedule, the date and time of our next release will be April 29, 2003, Tuesday, at 2 pm, the latest rating of CE Tung Chee-hwa, people's satisfaction with his policy direction and their appraisal of the performance of the HKSAR Government in general will be released. We will also release the latest results on people's trust in the HKSAR and Beijing Central Governments, as well as their confidence in Hong Kong's future, China's future and "one country, two systems".

Between April 4 and 9, 2003, POP conducted a random telephone survey which successfully interviewed 1,066 Cantonese speakers in Hong Kong of age 18 or above, to gauge people's ratings on the 4 subjective freedom indicators on Hong Kong's freedom of "speech", "press", "publication" and "procession and demonstration". Results showed that, on a scale of 0-10, "publication" and "press" freedoms have remained to score the highest ratings, with 7.43 and 7.38 marks respectively. Freedom of "speech" scored 7.12 marks, while that of "procession and demonstration" scored 6.49 marks. When compared to the corresponding figures obtained in early January, significant increases have been recorded for all ratings of the 4 indicators. Ratings of "publication" and "press" freedoms have risen by 0.27 and 0.26 marks respectively, while those of "speech" and "procession and demonstration" have increased by 0.19 and 0.16 marks respectively.

Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, has the following reactions to the latest findings: "Amidst falling indicators for almost every aspect of government performance and socio-economic conditions, all subjective freedom indicators have surged. This shows that Hong Kong people are rational, and continue to treasure the freedoms they have, while criticizing the government with all their might."

The new poll released in the POP Site today is a random telephone survey conducted by interviewers, targeting at Cantonese speakers in Hong Kong of age 18 or above. The sample size of the survey is 1,066 respondents. At 95% confidence level, the sampling error of the 4 freedom indicators is less than plus/minus 0.12 mark. The meaning of "95% confidence level" is that if we were to repeat a certain survey 100 times, using the same questions each time but with different random samples, we would expect 95 times getting a figure within the error margins specified. Shall anyone have any question regarding the research design of the surveys published in the POP Site, members of the POP Team will be happy to answer them, but we will not further comment on the findings. Shall any person or journalist have any other questions, please email them to us at <[email protected]>. The Director of Public Opinion Programme would answer them as soon as possible. We will keep such an arrangement under constant review, suggestions most welcome. Please note that everything carried in the POP Site does not represent the stand of the University of Hong Kong. Dr Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, is responsible for everything posted herewith, except for column articles which represent the stand of their authors.