Figures reflect sense of unease after city experiences a number of negative incidents over a short space of time, including disappearing booksellers
JEFFIE.LAM@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Friday, 15 January, 2016, 6:32pm
UPDATED : Friday, 15 January, 2016, 7:12pm
The findings are a setback for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, whose popularity has dropped to a new low. Photo: Sam Tsang
The latest gauge of Hongkongers’ satisfaction with governance of the city and the social environment has hit a 20-year low.
The findings by the University of Hong Kong follow a survey on Tuesday, also by the HKU public opinion programme, which found the popularity of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying had dropped to a new low of 37.5 marks out of 100 – just above the all-time low for any Hong Kong leader.
The Public Sentiment Index released on Friday had dropped by 21.4 from late December to 52.8 out of 200, with 100 being the normal level.
The index, which dates back to 1992, comprises an appraisal score for the government and society.
Edward Tai Chit-fai, a data analyst of the programme, said it was the second time the index had dropped below the 60-point level over the past 20 years. The first time was in November 2013 when it recorded 58.3 amid fierce debate surrounding the government’s decision to deny the popular Hong Kong Television Network a free-to-air licence.
READ MORE: Is Hong Kong’s Leung Chun-ying a god of small promises?
Dr Chung Kim-wah, a political scientist at Polytechnic University, said the drop was the result of a number of negative incidents – such as the controversial copyright amendment bill, Leung’s decision to name the unpopular Professor Arthur Li Kwok-cheung as the new chairman of the HKU governing council and the disappearance of five booksellers – happening in a short period of time.
“Such sentiments are also accumulative – Hongkongers now generally have a very negative impression towards the city’s governance after witnessing what Leung’s administration has done over the past three years,” he said.
READ MORE: Make-or-break for Hong Kong leader CY Leung
While huge movements like the Occupy sit-ins in 2014 were not expected to happen again in the near future, Chung believed Hongkongers’ negative sentiments would make Leung’s remaining term very difficult.
Tai said the effect of Leung’s latest policy address, which scored a record low of 41.1 out of 100 marks in the programme’s survey, had yet to be reflected in the index readings.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1901412/public-sentiment-hongkongers-governance-city-slumps-20-year
