bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Elizabeth Cheung

A prominent Hong Kong polling institute has suspended all self-funded research activities indefinitely in a “transformation” that may see it close down completely.
The Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (Pori) made the announcement on Thursday, just weeks after president and CEO Robert Chung Ting-yu was questioned by national security police as part of an investigation into whether he or his organisation had aided an absconder.
“[Pori] will suspend all its self-funded research activities indefinitely,” the institute said.
It added that the suspension, effective from Thursday, also covered regular tracking surveys the institute had conducted since 1992, and all of its recently introduced feature studies.
Efforts would be focused on preparing and executing existing commissioned studies, including those still in the negotiation stage.
The institute said it would “undergo a transformation or even close down”, adding that Chung hoped interested parties could step in and take over.
“[Pori] has always been law-abiding, but in the current environment, it has to pause its promotion of scientific polling,” the institute said.
The polling body explained it would be too “difficult” to continue such work.
“The research team hopes there will be another opportunity to resume its work. [Pori] is actively exploring all possible options, it will announce its final decision when the time is right,” the organisation said.
Chung will continue to promote the professional development of public opinion research in his role as an executive council member of the World Association for Public Opinion Research until his term ends.
Last month, Chung was taken away by police twice in two weeks to help with an investigation into whether he or the institute had helped the body’s former deputy executive director, Chung Kim-wah, who was among six wanted overseas-based activists named by the force in December last year for allegedly contravening the national security law.

Robert Chung’s institute evolved from the former self-financed Public Opinion Programme at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). He was the programme’s director since its founding in 1991.
The programme conducted some of the most widely quoted polls over the years, including popularity ratings of chief executives, senior officials and lawmakers, as well as a public sentiment index, election exit polls and Hongkonger identity surveys.
Some surveys became targets of criticism from the pro-Beijing camp.
In 2000, Chung publicly accused then chief executive Tung Chee-hwa of pressuring him via “a special channel” to stop conducting surveys on the leader’s popularity and the government’s credibility.
The saga eventually forced the resignation of HKU’s vice-chancellor, Patrick Cheng Yiu-chung.
It was later revealed that Tung’s closest aide, Andrew Lo Cheung-on, had questioned Chung’s role and the way the polls were being conducted, prompting widespread accusations that the chief executive had interfered in academic freedom.
Property tycoon Peter Lee Ka-kit attacked one of the programme’s polls in 2014 during a session in Beijing attended by a senior central government official. Lee accused Chung of releasing polls at “critical moments” with findings unfavourable to then chief executive Leung Chun-ying.
In 2019, Chung retired from the university and decided to run the programme independently under the Pori name.
The institute sought a crowdsourced start-up fund of HK$6 million and vowed to remain a “scientific, academic and politically neutral” organisation.


Hong Kong polling body halts self-funded research amid national security probe

Why are Hong Kong government buildings slated for demolition filling up again?

Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai denies op-ed piece pushed for sanctions on then-city leader

Renovating new office of former Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to cost HK$2.8 million

Hong Kong politics

Robert Chung (centre), the institute’s president and CEO, was questioned by national security police last month. Photo: Jelly Tse

Chung Kim-wah, the former executive director of Pori, is on a Hong Kong police wanted list. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong pollster taken in again as part of national security probe

Robert Chung (centre) has been taken away by police for the second time in two weeks. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong police question 2 polling institute workers in national security probe

Chung Kim-wah moved to the UK in 2022. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Adam Yuen, research executive of Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, leaves Sha Tin Police Station. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong police summon fugitive Chung Kim-wah’s siblings for questioning

Chung Kim-wah’s sister (left) leaves the Central Police District Headquarters. Photo: handout

Chung Kim-wah’s wife was asked to assist in an investigation last week. Photo: Elson Li

News

Hong Kong

Politics

Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute announces ‘transformation’ that may lead to full shutdown


Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute announces ‘transformation’ that may lead to full shutdown.


Hong Kong national security law (NSL)

Hong Kong protests

Hong Kong society