Results of a survey conducted by the University of Macao showed that 96 percent of the respondents were satisfied with the development of Macao after its return to China, the motherland, in 1999, the Macao Post Daily reported on Thursday.

The survey, conducted through telephone between last Friday through Sunday with 882 people interviewed, was aimed at measuring public opinion about the last policy address by incumbent Chief Executive (CE) of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Ho Hau Wah last month.

According to the survey, Ho's current government gained an average rating of 6.91 out of 10, with 10 being "highly satisfied" and zero being "highly dissatisfied", from the respondents.

As for the cash-handout measures, 90.1 percent of the respondents said they "agree" that the measures should continue next year.

Under the SAR government's "wealth share" scheme, each local permanent resident received 6,000 patacas (759 U.S. dollars) this year and non-permanent resident 3,600 patacas (456 U.S. dollars). The relevant amount was 5,000 patacas and 3,000 patacas respectively when the scheme was first introduced last year.