Officials 'have met high expectations'

The high satisfaction rate of the poll shows people have confidence in and high expectations of the administration, Lingnan University professor Ho Lok-sang said.

"The government still needs more time to implement policies. Even so, 60 percent of poll respondents are still satisfied with the government and Lee. That shows citizens have high expectations and confidence in the authorities, and the policies launched by the government are sincere," said Ho, director and research professor of Lingnan's Pan Sutong Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Policy Research Institute.

"The authorities focussed on people's livelihoods under Lee's leadership and reacted quickly to people's concerns, including over the border reopening, economic recovery and housing supply," he said.

He also said it was understandable that fewer respondents expressed satisfaction with policies on poverty alleviation, elderly care and public health care.

New measures in these areas involve recurrent expenditure and the government has to be cautious to maintain the sustainability of public expenditure after the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Ho said.

Assistant professor of social and behavioral sciences Chan Siu-ming at City University said the government has been working on some deep-rooted problems by launching tenancy control of subdivided units, transitional housing and light public housing.

These policies and measures showed a long-term strategy, he said. But it should also target poverty alleviation by concentrating resources on those most in need, he said.