Public reaction to China's proposal to overhaul the national
holiday system has been favorable, according to an on-line
government poll, but to some observers, the questions about the
plan were "leading" and the results were questionable.
The plan, released last Friday, would increase the number of
national holidays annually from 10 to 11 days. However, the
week-long May Day break would be reduced to just one day and
replaced by three festival-related holidays.
At China's largest portal, Sina.com, more than 460,000
questionnaires were answered within three days. Five of the
questions sought to measure attitudes towards the proposal were
predominantly -- from 65 to 90 percent -- answered with "support".
Polls at other major news portals showed more or less the same
results.
But a look at on-line discussion boards showed that public
opinion was far more mixed, with discussion centering on whether
the traditional week-long May Day holiday should be affected.
"Negative opinions on canceling the May Day holiday shown in the
BBS (online forum) posts are in sharp contrast with the
overwhelming 'support' in the poll figures," noted columnist Bi
Shicheng.
In contrast, netizen Zheng Shihu wrote: "Canceling the May Day
holiday deprives many Chinese of the chance to return to their
hometowns for family gatherings."
On the official questionnaire devised by a government panel,
there were no specific questions about this controversial
proposal.
"The design of the questionnaire leaves the public no choice but
being 'supportive,'" said Shu Shengxiang, a Hangzhou-based
accountant. "It is not a wise move to avert seeking public opinion
on the key issue of the plan."
Polls should be designed to best reflect public opinion, not
avoid the problem through "carefully-designed" questions, he
said.
As results of the poll, scheduled to end on Thursday, would be
considered in the final drafting of the plan, observers also
questioned if the on-line questionnaire truly represented public
sentiment in deciding such an important issue. Tang Jun, a research
fellow on social policy with Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,
said the poll was flawed on the issue of the country's vast number
of rural migrant workers as most don't have access to the
Internet.
"To solicit public opinion, we have to let the disadvantaged
have a say."
(Xinhua News Agency November 13, 2007)