Almost 40 per cent of respondents to a survey gave Tung Chee-hwa's fourth policy blueprint a fail. They gave the Chief Executive 4.7 marks, with the pass mark set at five.
The survey by the social affairs pressure group Hong Kong Policy Viewers interviewed 520 people between October 13 and 18 about the Policy Address. Thirty-eight per cent said the blueprint failed, 28 per cent gave it a pass while 34 per cent said it had'just passed'.
Although the address emphasised reducing poverty, 63 per cent said it would not narrow the gap between the well-off and poor. About 43 per cent said the blueprint would not take care of low-income earners, while 38 per cent thought proposed visits by out-reach staff to the jobless would not help alleviate middle-aged unemployment.
A total of 43 per cent were sceptical whether retraining would help people find jobs. Those unsure of whether educational reform could achieve Mr Tung's goal of 'learning for life, learning through life' reached 38 per cent.
Fifty-five per cent cast doubt on whether measures to develop a knowledge-based economy could benefit the public, with 43 per cent simply saying the measures would not help them personally.
On the political front, 39 per cent were not sure whether Mr Tung attached importance to democratic development and 36 per cent were sceptical whether the relationship between the legislature and the executive would improve.
