IMMEDIATE
48 PERCENT
-
PEOPLE WHO WOULD OPPOSE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS IF THAT
WOULD MEAN THE THROUGH TRAIN BEING SCRAPPED FROM 19 PERCENT TO
IS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN. EVEN SUPPORTIVE LEGCO
MEMBERS MAY WELL WORRY ABOUT VOTING FOR THE GOVERNOR S PROPOSALS
IF OPINION POLLS ARE SHOWING DEEP PUBLIC ANXIETY ABOUT THE
CONSEQUENCES OF DOING SO.
4.
MANY OPINION POLLS IN HONG KONG ARE UNRELIABLE BECAUSE
THEY ARE BASED ON TINY SAMPLES OR HAVE EXTREMELY LOW RESPONDENT
LEVELS. MANY ARE UNRELIABLE FOR POLITICAL REASONS. IT WOULD BE
HELPFUL TO KNOW WHICH POLLS OR POLLING ORGANISATIONS ARE
RESPECTED IN HONG KONG, IF ANY, AND WHETHER THERE HAVE BEEN ANY
OTHER INDICATIONS THAT PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNOR AND HIS
PROPOSALS HAS REMAINED STEADY WHILST NERVOUSNESS ABOUT THEIR
IMPLEMENTATION HAS BEEN INCREASING.
5. IT WAS FURTHER REPORTED THAT 20 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS HAD
LOST CONFIDENCE DURING THE LAST WEEK AS A RESULT OF CHINESE
HINTS ABOUT THE VIABILITY OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING TO KNOW WHETHER THIS IN YOUR VIEW OVERSTATES THE
LEVEL OF PUBLIC REACTION TO THIS TURN OF EVENTS.
5. WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO EMPHASISE THE CONTINUING
HIGH LEVELS OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNOR. BUT WE MUST
AVOID BEING TOO DISMISSIVE ABOUT WHAT MAY WELL BE WIDELY-FELT AND
LEGITIMATE PUBLIC FEARS. A SAFE PUBLIC LINE MIGHT BE TO DOWNPLAY
THE ACCURACY AND IMPORTANCE OF OPINION POLLS WHILST NOTING THAT
WIDER OPINION IN HONG KONG AND THE UK HAS REMAINED FIRMLY BEHIND
THE GOVERNOR AND HIS PROPOSALS.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ