HKU POP SITE releases the latest figures on subjective social and legal indicatorsBack


Press Release on July 27, 2004
 

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 figures on subjective social and legal indicators. Recent figures of the indicators are summarized as follows:

 
 Date of survey 14-16/7/03 19-22/10/03 9-12/1/04 19-22/4/04 19-21/7/04 Latest change
 Sample base 1,073 1,017 1,026 1,029 1,031 ---
 Overall response rate 69.2% 60.0% 64.6% 61.1% 63.8% ---
 Sampling error of indicators(at 95% confidence level)* +/- 0.12 +/- 0.12 +/- 0.12 +/- 0.14 +/- 0.14 ---
 Sampling error of personal rating (at 95% confidence level)* +/- 1.4 +/- 1.4 +/- 1.6 +/- 1.2 +/- 1.6 ---
 Degree of civilization 6.78 6.87 7.30 7.05 7.18 +0.13
 Degree of freedom 6.84 7.10 7.38 6.96 7.15 +0.19
 Degree of corruption-free practices 6.68 6.90 6.87 6.83 6.80 -0.03
 Degree of public order 6.84 6.75 7.03 6.68 6.79 +0.11
 Degree of efficiency 6.13 6.28 6.79 6.37 6.51 +0.14
 Degree of stability 5.82 6.27 6.73 6.41 6.50 +0.09
 Degree of prosperity 5.18 5.78 6.29 6.06 6.48 +0.42
 Degree of social welfare sufficiency 6.22 6.30 6.38 6.02 6.21 +0.19
 Degree of equality 6.12 6.25 6.23 6.08 6.07 -0.01
 Degree of democracy 5.59 5.90 5.79 5.63 5.97 +0.34
 Degree of fairness 5.67 5.82 5.68 5.62 5.70 +0.08
 Impartiality of the courts 6.68 6.70 6.88 6.82 6.90 +0.08
 Fairness of the judicial system 6.18 6.33 6.50 6.25 6.54 +0.29
 Compliance with the rule of law 6.43 6.50 6.59 6.27 6.42 +0.15
 Support rating of Andrew Li 56.2 56.6 59.4 58.0 57.4 -0.60

* "95% confidence level" means 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.

 

Regarding the social indicators, results obtained in mid July showed that, on a scale of 0-10, Hong Kong's degree of "civilization" and "freedom" scored the highest ratings, with 7.18 and 7.15 marks respectively. "Corruption-free practices" and "public order" followed behind, attaining 6.80 and 6.79 marks respectively. "Efficiency", "stability" and "prosperity" formed the next tier, scoring 6.51, 6.50 and 6.48 marks in respective orders. Meanwhile, the ratings of "social welfare sufficiency" and "equality" were 6.21 and 6.07 marks correspondingly. Besides, "democracy" and "fairness" scored 5.97 and 5.70 marks respectively.

 

As for the legal indicators, people's latest appraisal of the impartiality of the courts scored 6.90 marks, that of the fairness of the judicial system scored 6.54 marks, while the rating of the compliance with the rule of law was 6.42 marks. Meanwhile, the latest popularity rating of Chief Justice Andrew Li Kowk-nang, a representative figure of the judicial system, was 57.4 marks, on a scale of 0-100.

 

Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, analyzed, "Our previous survey was conducted after NPC interpreted the Basic Law, all 14 subjective indicators plunged. Three months later, almost all have rebounded, although not yet to their January level. The 'prosperity' indicator, however, is exceptional, as it surged from the bottom position and record low last July to the middle of the list. 'Fairness' and 'democracy', however, have long lingered at the bottom part of the list."

 

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. Since August 1 will be the anniversary of the People's Liberation Army, on July 31, Saturday, at 2 pm, POP will release the latest tracking poll findings of Hong Kong people's satisfaction with the PLA and the Hong Kong Police Force Force for the first time. Then, on August 3, 2004, Tuesday, at 2 pm, the latest popularity figures of CE Tung Chee-Hwa, people's appraisal of the performance of the Hong Kong SAR Government and members of the Legislative Council in general will be released.

 

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.