According to the latest public opinion survey released by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Programme (HKUPOP) on Tuesday, people’s ratings of the 5 core social indicators, including freedom, prosperity, stability, rule of law and democracy, have all dropped, and they are all at historical lows, with the prosperity indicator dropping to a record low since June 1997, while the democracy indicator has the lowest score of 3.56 marks.
According to expert analysis, this survey has recorded the situation of “from bad governance to tyranny” in Hong Kong, while the survey was conducted during the police’s 1/6 raid on more than 50 pro-democracy activists, the poll results reflect that the incident has dealt a heavy blow to people’s confidence in freedom, rule of law and democracy.
Formerly known as the Public Opinion Programme of the University of Hong Kong established in 1991, the Hong Kong Public Opinion Programme (HKUPOP) held a regular press conference on Tuesday (January 19) to announce the latest findings of 5 core social indicators.
HKUPOP says 5 major social indicators are at historical lows
The survey was conducted from January 4 to 8, using fixed-line and mobile phones to successfully interview a total of 1,000 Hong Kong citizens aged 18 or above. During the survey period, on January 6, the Hong Kong Police Force used the National Security Law to arrest more than 50 pro-democracy figures who participated in last year’s Legislative Council 35+ primary election, and two offices of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Programme were also searched by the police, suspending the survey for one day.
Results show that the 5 core social indicators continue to maintain their all-round failure since the implementation of the “Hong Kong SAR Government Law” began one month ago last August, and compared to the last survey conducted in December last year, the scores of all 5 indicators have dropped across the board, and the ratings are all at historical lows.
The ratings of the 5 core social indicators including freedom, prosperity, stability, rule of law and democracy have all dropped, with a perfect score of 10. Prosperity indicator is 4.09 marks, down 0.02 marks from last August’s survey, hitting a record low since June 1997; rule of law indicator is 3.8 marks, down 0.21 marks from last August; the lowest score is only 3.56 marks for democracy indicator, down 0.29 marks from last August’s survey.
Experts say the poll reflects Hong Kong’s “bad governance to tyranny”
He said this is the first relevant survey in 2021, he thinks it is a very important social record, but also has a very important revelation, 5 major social core indicators, including freedom, the rule of law and democracy indicators, the rating of three of the most significant drop, reflecting the public feel that the past period of Hong Kong’s human rights situation has become particularly bad, he described it as a record of Hong Kong “from bad governance to tyranny” situation, he believes that in modern history is not rare.
Lai Guangde said: “In fact, the public is very feel the recent period of Time, Hong Kong’s human rights situation is particularly worse, so I can boldly say that, in fact, the record of this poll can be said to be a record of a society, from bad to tyrannical government, because as a tyrannical government, one of the most important features is to treat human rights as nothing, but also, of course, the livelihood of the people Here we can see that many people’s opinions in society actually reflect this situation. It is because of this that I think this opinion survey is particularly meaningful now, because as a modern society, there is such an experience, ‘from bad governance to tyranny’ experience, but there is such a transparent opinion survey can reflect, I think in modern history are not rare.”
Police raids heavy setback public confidence in freedom, rule of law and democracy
Lai Kwong Tak said the most significant social event during the survey period was the police’s 1-06 raid, in which 53 pro-democracy activists were arrested on suspicion of violating the National Security Law, and the office of the Hong Kong Institute of Public Opinion was also searched, which he sarcastically described as a “success”. The poll results reflect that the incident has dealt a heavy blow to public confidence in freedom, the rule of law and democracy. Lai Guangde said: “I think the police action is quite ‘successful’, ‘successful’ means it is very serious setback to the public on freedom, the rule of law, democracy and these indicators. So you can see that these three indicators are significantly down, whether we say that the police want to create white terror are good, at least the objective effect of its actions, is to make the public confidence in Hong Kong’s freedom, the rule of law, democracy, these aspects have dropped significantly, this is reflected very clearly through this survey.”
As for Hong Kong people’s rating of prosperity indicators hit a record low since the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997, Lai Guangde analysis, is a reflection of the public under the new pneumonia Epidemic, the economic impact, unemployment rate record high, and the Hong Kong government’s response to the epidemic prevention measures dissatisfaction.
Lai Guangde said: “prosperity indicators is actually the biggest response is now under the epidemic, that is, the impact on the economy, especially after the third wave, the fourth wave (epidemic), in fact, the public is not able to see any improvement, because the government’s measures to prevent the epidemic is actually not able to ensure that many industries are able to return to normal, so that the unemployment rate and so on are also has been rising. That is, people’s confidence in employment prospects, I believe, has been declining, so I guess this is reflected in the reason why the prosperity indicators are now at record low.”
HKUPOP considers adding fear indicators
At the press conference, Hong Kong Public Opinion Programme’s deputy chief executive Jianhua Zhong said that during a recent media interview, a moderator suggested that based on the changing situation in Hong Kong, in addition to the original 5 core social indicators, a fear indicator could be added, which he thought was worth considering.
Chung said: “Recently in a media program, visit the program host proposed that we Institute of Public Opinion, said that many of your indicators are important, but can you add a new indicator, he said because the situation is different now, the current government is to fear to govern Hong Kong, create fear, why not you set a fear indicator, I think it can be considered I think it can be considered, let’s think about it.”
Scholars say national security law fails to put Hong Kong back on the right track
Chung Kin-wah said that HKUPOP’s survey shows that the five core social indicators began to slide down from 2018, to nearly half a year all indicators are at a historical low of failure, he believes that the practice of the Hong Kong government in the past year is related to the results of this poll not only reflects the public sentiment after 1/6 of the big search, but also reflects the implementation of the national security law more than half a year later, the actual situation is not the official said, so that society back on track.
Zhong Jianhua said: “It can be said that the past year, this year more than the government’s approach, that is, the government often say that there is a national security law, now strengthen the fight against the opposition, so that the community to regain order, so that society back on track, but if you look at us not only this survey, in fact, all surveys have similar characteristics, that is, after 2018, many of the survey indicators are After the fall, you see that it is ‘rebounding but not rebounding’, basically at a very low level, slightly ‘bouncing up and down’, this (survey) is even more so, this 5 indicators in the past several times, on I remember in November or October last year, when the 5 (indicators), a few of them broke the record. ) among a few broke a new record low, you even if the last time back up a little are good, that rise is quite slight, this time just happened to be sandwiched between the 1-06 big search, as just Albert (Lai Guangde) right, that is, the psychological impact on the human rights situation is very clear.”
Poll shows CE Carrie Lam’s popularity drops
HKUPOP also conducted its latest survey on the popularity of CE and principal officials between January 4 and 8, interviewing 1,000 Hong Kong residents by telephone. The result shows that CE Carrie Lam’s rating has dropped 0.7 marks to 29 marks only, 44% of the respondents gave her 0 marks, her net approval rate dropped 3 percentage points to negative 54%, both her rating and net approval rate have hit a record low since October last year. Both her rating and net approval rate have hit a new low since October last year.
As for the Secretaries of Departments concerned, the popularity of SJ Rita Cheng continues to be at its lowest, her net approval rate drops 2 percentage points to negative 52%, a record low since October 2019. The net popularity ratings of all government officials are in negative territory.
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