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On the leak of a Central Policy Unit(CPU) opinion survey, the CPU issued the following statement today (June 13):
(1) Since its establishment, a main task of the CPU has been to understand public opinion. Opinion survey is an important tool to understand public opinion and its changes in Hong Kong, which is commonly conducted by governments and relevant research institutions in other places. Both local and overseas experience has proven the important value of opinion survey to governments. The CPU will continue to conduct such surveys as in the past.
(2) The leaked opinion survey was designed by the CPU and conducted on its own initiative. In line with the CPU's practice, the survey was for internal reference, and not for publication. The reason is to avoid various unrelated interpretations, conjectures, and doubts that the Government only releases findings or information beneficial to itself. Such would be contrary to the objective of conducting surveys for the Government's internal reference, as well as affecting the work of the commissioned survey agents. In this case, the leaked survey was used by the people concerned for many interpretations unrelated to the survey and its findings. This has proven once again that it is not appropriate to publish CPU survey findings.
(3) The election of Legislative Council (Legco) Members in September 2016 is an important event in Hong Kong. It is necessary for the Government to understand the public's attitudes and considerations relating to the Legco election. The content and findings of the survey concerned are unrelated to the election of the Special Administrative Region Chief Executive to be held next year. Also, the questions and responses are not concerned with whether or not they provide an advantage or disadvantage to those who intend to take part in the Chief Executive election. The queries and interpretations by the media are pure distortion and speculation.
(4) To leak a government internal reference document is an unethical act contrary to professional conduct. The CPU expresses deep regret on the incident.
Ends/Monday, June 13, 2016
Issued at HKT 20:50
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