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According to the findings of a public opinion survey conducted by the Hong KongFederation of Youth Groups, the people's instant reaction to the Policy Address secured arating of 50.1 points, just 0.1 point ahead the pass mark. It showed that the generalpublic was not impressed by the Policy Address in addressing people's hardship amidst thecurrent economic turmoil. Respondents of a younger age (15-39 age group) gave 50.4 pointsto the Policy Address. The mark was far less than that received for the first PolicyAddress in 1997-1998, of 57.8 points
In looking closely at the respondents' rating suggested a general dissatisfactionof the Chief Executive's performance. The survey demonstrated that the Chief Executiveearned a support rating of 53.1 points, just above the pass mark. Respondents of a youngerage rated his performance at 51.8 points. The figure was far behind those of the previoustwo surveys conducted in September 1998 and October 1997, which recorded 54.4 points and60.6 points respectively
This survey highlighted twelve important policies, asking respondents to rate theproposals of each policy. The survey demonstrated that four of the twelve policies werebelow the pass mark on a scale of 0-100. Among the four, respondents were most unsatisfiedwith those parts related to improving the unemployment problem, marked at 34.6 points, farbelow the pass mark. Such a result was obtained perhaps because the Policy Address did nottackle the issue seriously.
The Policy Address regarded an increase in public confidence as one of the factorsthat would determine Hong Kong's economic recovery. However, the survey showed that thePolicy Address had done little to boost respondents' confidence in the administration,with around 35 per cent of the respondents saying that their confidence in the SARGovernment's leadership had decreased after the Policy Address. Another 36.5 per cent saidthat their confidence in the administration's efficiency had decreased as well.Furthermore, also around 35 per cent thought that their confidence in Hong Kong's futurefor the coming year had decreased.
The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups conducted this telephone survey from 7 to8 October 1998. Totals of 347 people aged 15 and above were successfully interviewed. Ofthe total 347 respondents, around 50 per cent looked for a worsening family livingstandard in a year's time. Forty-eight per cent of the young respondents predicated agloomy future in their families' living standards. The figure hit a record high since thequestion was first put forward in 1993. Only 16.7 per cent of the respondents looked for abright future, another record low since the question was first put forward..
Youth Opinion Polls No. 59
