Poll shows majority support for yes vote on reform

Results of a fresh opinion poll showed 61 percent of the people surveyed said they wished the Legislative Council would vote for the reform package drafted within parameters laid down by the country’s top legislature.

The poll was sponsored by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) and organized by a subsidiary of the One Country Two Systems Research Institute. The organizer said it surveyed 811 local residents on Feb 11, 15 and 16.

More than 60 percent of people surveyed said they wanted the Legislative Council (LegCo) to endorse the government election reform package drafted in accordance to the decision made by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) on Aug 31 last year. In contrast, about 30 percent of the respondents said they were opposed to the package.

The majority of respondents (about 83 percent) agreed that legislators should vote on the reform package in accordance to the wish of the majority. Opposition lawmakers had earlier pledged to veto any proposal drawn under the NPCSC framework, regardless of poll results.

This poll has also identified a consistent group of hardline supporter of the opposition camp. About 24 percent of respondents said they would reject any reform that conforms to the NPCSC blueprint. The same percentage of respondents said they would remain optimistic if the LegCo stalled the reform.

DAB Vice-Chairman Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan urged the opposition lawmakers to respect the choice of the majority and act responsibly. “Are we giving up on Hong Kong’s future because a quarter of us say no?” Cheung asked.

There is an obvious need for the establishment, particularly the government, to continue to explain clearly that a popular election of the city chief would be better than the current system, Cheung said.