HKU POP SITE releases the latest results of the four subjective freedom indicatorsBack

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 of 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 our schedule, the date and time of our next release will be July 24, 2003, Thursday, at 2 pm, the latest figures of the popularity of CE Tung Chee-hwa, and people's appraisal of the performance of the HKSAR Government will be released. Then, on July 29, 2003, Tuesday, at 2 pm, the latest results of the 4 subjective social indicators on Hong Kong's degree of "democracy", "freedom", "prosperity" and "stability", a series of questions related to the rule of law, as well as people's appraisal to the performance of the members of the Legislative Council in general will be released.

Between July 2 and 4, 2003, right after the "July 1 Demonstration", but before the government's deferral of the Second Reading of the National Security Bill, POP conducted a random telephone survey which successfully interviewed 1,046 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, "procession and demonstration" scored 7.49 marks, representing a sharp increase of 1.00 mark from that of early April. The figure has overtaken those of the other 3 indicators for the first time, to set a record high. "Publication", "press" and "speech" freedoms scored 7.26, 7.22 and 6.97 marks respectively, representing drops of 0.17, 0.16 and 0.15 mark correspondingly.

Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, made the following analysis: "Other than proclaiming Hong Kong people's dissatisfaction with the SAR Government, the July 1 Demonstration has also changed their view of mass protests. People's positive appraisal of their freedom to demonstrate will facilitate the development of a civic society, it also demonstrates the uniqueness of one country two systems."

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 1,046 respondents. At 95% confidence level, the sampling error of the 4 freedom indicators is 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.