Handmade paper umbrellas at Admiralty.Hong Kong students are most worried about political issues. A Ming Pao Daily survey done late last month polled 1,032 university and secondary students about the things that worry them and make them unhappy.
The survey showed that 47 per cent of students thought that the way the government was handling political issues was the biggest problem. Far more students were unhappy about Hong Kong's politics than other issues, such as how the government is dealing with the cost of homes, which only 15 per cent of students said was an issue.
The results show a growing interest in politics among students. Respondents said the Umbrella Movement had made them more aware of social issues, and 60 per cent said the demonstrations had made them more eager to vote.
The students polled in the survey were not happy with Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. Only 3 per cent thought Leung was doing a good job, and 79 per cent said he was failing.
A University of Hong Kong poll conducted around the same time shows more balance in rating the government: 32.1 per cent rated it positively, and 37 per cent gave a negative rating.
To compare, an earlier HKU poll showed nearly 48 per cent of respondents support the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS), making it the most supported political group in the city.
But legislators who are against the demonstrations say the student groups active in the movement do not represent all Hong Kong students. "The HKFS is not elected, and Scholarism is just a group of several students," said Ann Chiang Lai-wan. She said the pan-democrats exaggerated the number of students involved in the protests.