HKU POP SITE releases the latest popularity figures of CE Donald Tsang and the Principal OfficialsBack


Press Release on November 10, 2005
 

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 popularity figures of CE Donald Tsang and Principal Officials under the accountability system. As a general practice, all figures have been weighted according to the gender-age distribution of the Hong Kong population obtained from the 2001 Population Census. Recent popularity figures of Donald Tsang are first summarized as follows:

 
 Date of survey 26-29/9 3-6/10 12/10 25-29/10 1-7/11 Latest change
 Sample base 1,027 1,010 914 1,017 1,003 --
 Overall response rate 61.2% 64.2% 66.1% 63.5% 64.6% --
 Sampling error of ratings(at 95% confidence level)* +/-1.0 +/-1.0 +/-1.1 +/-1.0 +/-1.0 --
 Sampling error of percentages(at 95% confidence level)* +/-3% +/-3% +/-3% +/-3% +/-3% --
 Rating of CE Donald Tsang 69.5 68.0 67.4 68.2 67.1 -1.1
 Vote of confidence in CE Donald Tsang 79% 77% 74% 75% 75% --
 Vote of no confidence in CE Donald Tsang 8% 8% 9% 6% 8% +2%

* "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.

 

The latest survey conducted in early November showed that, CE Donald Tsang scored 67.1 marks, and 75% supported him as the Chief Executive. Figures on the latest popularity ratings of Principal Officials under the accountability system are summarized below:

 
 Date of survey 4-6/7 1-4/8 1-7/9 3-6/10 1-7/11 Latest change
 Sample base 1,020 1,015 1,007 1,010 1,003 --
 Overall response rate 61.9% 59.4% 62.0% 64.2% 64.6% --
 Sampling error of ratings(at 95% confidence level)* +/- 1.4 +/- 1.6 +/- 1.4 +/-1.6 +/-1.4 --
 SJ Y.L. Wong Survey not started yet 63.1 --
 FS Henry Tang 63.7 63.3 62.5 63.6 60.9 -2.7
 CS Rafael Hui 60.5 57.0 58.5 57.8 60.2 +2.4
 Ex - SJ Elsie Leung 54.3 51.8 53.1 53.0 Resigned --
 Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee 61.0 61.7 61.9 64.0 62.2 -1.8
 Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip 59.8 59.3 58.4 60.6 59.2 -1.4
 Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works Sarah Liao 58.5 57.8 58.6 59.3 58.6 -0.7
 Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology John Tsang 55.3 54.7 54.8 56.1 56.1 --
 Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow 57.4 52.4 52.7 56.5 56.0 -0.5
 Secretary for Education and Manpower Arthur Li 53.8 52.9 52.0 54.2 54.1 -0.1
 Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Frederick Ma 52.3 50.3 52.6 53.1 53.5 +0.4
 Secretary for the Civil Service Joseph Wong 52.8 51.3 51.5 52.9 53.1 +0.2
 Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho 52.2 49.5 49.1 51.0 51.3 +0.3
 Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands Michael Suen 51.3 50.0 51.0 51.4 51.3 -0.1
 Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam 47.5 45.3 47.1 48.2 49.1 +0.9

* "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.

 

Our latest survey showed that the new SJ Wong Yan-lung scored 63.1 marks, while the ratings of FS Henry Tang Ying-yen and CS Rafael Hui Si-yan were 60.9 and 60.2 marks respectively. As for the Directors of Bureaux, results revealed that the 1st rank fell to Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong, attaining 62.2 marks. Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip Shu-kwan and Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works Sarah Liao Sau-tung ranked 2nd and 3rd, scoring 59.2 and 58.6 marks correspondingly. Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology John Tsang Chun-wah and Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok followed behind, attaining 56.1 and 56.0 marks respectively. Secretary for Education and Manpower Arthur Li Kwok-cheung, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Frederick Ma Si-hang and Secretary for the Civil Service Joseph Wong Wing-ping occupied the 6th to 8th ranks, scoring 54.1, 53.5 and 53.1 marks in corresponding order. Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho Chi-ping, Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands Michael Suen Ming-yeung and Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam Sui-lung occupied the 9th to 11th places, with popularity ratings of 51.3, 51.3 and 49.1 marks.

 

Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, observed, "Both the popularity rating and support rate of CE Donald Tsang continue to fluctuate narrowly in early November, the debate on constitutional development has apparently not affected him much. As for the principal officials, it is a very unusual phenomenon that the new SJ Wong Yan-lung attained the 50% benchmark recognition rate almost immediately after he was appointed, plus a high popularity score of 63.1 marks which tops the list. All three Secretaries of Departments now have more than 60 marks, which is also unprecedented. As for the Directors of Bureaux, the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam continues to be the only principal official with less than 50 marks."

 

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. The date and time of our next release of regular survey findings will be November 15, 2005, Tuesday, at 2 pm, we will release the latest ratings of the top 10 Legislative Councillors.

 

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.