HKU POP SITE releases a column article today discussing the public inclination towards Article 23 LegislationBack

The "HKU POP SITE" (http://hkupop.pori.hk) of the Public Opinion Programme (POP) at the University of Hong Kong releases in its "POP Column" an article entitled "Public Opinion Neither Supports Article 23 Legislation in Principle Nor in Contents" today. Written by Clement York-Kee So, Associate Professor of School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the article compared the findings obtained from different means and channels regarding the public views on Article 23 legislation, and analyzed the proportions and socio-demographic characteristics of its proponents and opponents.

According to the public opinion data, the article pointed out that 52% of the respondents opposed the legislation in principle; another 44% opposed the original proposed legislation content. These findings were quite different from those released by the government and "The Research Team on the Compendium of Submissions on Articles 23 of the Basic Law". Results of the cross-tabulation analysis also indicated that females, people aged below 50, the more educated group, professionals, students, those employed in the service sectors and civilian staff were relatively more opposed to the legislation. Besides, So criticized the government for turning a deaf ear to public opinion, and stated that government failed to change the views of Hong Kong people regarding the legislation because "the government officials adopt the strategy of 'two concessions, one forward move' to sell the legislation content… The government gives us an impression of bargaining instead of sincerely doing a good job for the well-being of the public."

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 in the POP Site, except for column articles. The authors of the column articles are responsible for their own writings, while the translators are responsible for their own translations.