Publication of Results of Public Opinion Surveys by Government Agencies or Statutory Boards

Mr Chen Show Mao asked the Minister for Communications and Information regarding surveys of public opinion undertaken by Government agencies or statutory boards (a) under what conditions are the results of such surveys not published; and (b) how many instances of such opinion surveys have been published in 2010-2015 versus those that have not been published.

Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Many agencies in Government conduct surveys to gather feedback on public perception of policies and issues. Such surveys enable our agencies to understand public sentiment on issues, and to assess public awareness of, and response to, specific government policies and programmes. Survey data has been used to evaluate if there are segments of the population who might benefit from a better understanding of a policy or programme. In some cases, such data allow us to adjust the way we deliver government services to better meet the needs of citizens.

The Government does not compile statistics on the surveys conducted by various agencies, or which among them are published. In my own ministry (MCI), REACH periodically releases survey data on a range of issues. In recent years, REACH has released surveys of public perceptions on the annual Budget and the National Day Rally Speech, CPF changes, public transport, and the public's awareness of financial assistance schemes, among other subjects. These survey findings may also be found on REACH's website.