Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee’s approval rating has reached a record high since he took office last July after running unopposed for the leadership role, a poll has found.
The Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI) released its latest monthly popularity statistics for the chief executive on Tuesday. Lee’s approval rating stood at 57 per cent, up from last month’s 53 per cent and the highest of his term so far.
PORI interviewed 1,004 Cantonese-speaking residents by random telephone survey between November 1 and 15. According to the results, Lee scored 52.7 on a 100-point popularity scale, about the same level as last month. Among all respondents, 13 per cent gave him a zero mark.
Lee’s latest disapproval rating was 27 per cent, the lowest since he was selected by 1,416 members of the city’s Election Committee. His net approval was positive 30 percentage points.
The statistics released on Tuesday also included the government’s satisfaction rating, which stood at 42 per cent. However, a 43 per cent dissatisfaction rating resulted in a zero percentage point net satisfaction.
The government’s mean satisfaction score was 2.9 on a 5-point scale, close to “half-half” and much the same as last month, a statement from PORI noted.
Last month, PORI found that Lee’s second Policy Address scored 44.4 on a 100-point scale, down almost seven points from his maiden address last year. The address, which went on for more than three hours and covered areas from boosting childbirth to reviving a stagnant economy, had an immediately negative impact on Lee’s popularity, according to PORI’s instant survey.
Before Lee announced the Policy Address, his popularity score was 52.6 and his net approval rating 24 per cent.
