Poll by CityU finds people less happy compared with peers in Osaka and Seoul

Hong Kong people are less happy compared with their peers in Osaka and Seoul. Housing-related problems, a slowing economy and political bickering are dragging the ratings down, according to a City University of Hong Kong (CityU) poll.

Among the three cities, Hong Kong people had the lowest overall happiness, ranking 6.83 out of 10 while Seoul got a 7.01 rating and Osaka was the happiest at 7.41.

Hong Kong's score dipped by 0.15 against last year's result of 6.98, breaking the 7 threshold for the first time since the surveying began in 2002. Even when the city was stricken by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, the index was 7.11.

Indeed, the mood in Hong Kong reached such a low in 13 years that survey fixture Singapore was omitted in this year's study, according to CityU Professor Dennis Wong Sing-wing.

Singapore's score had constantly outranked Hong Kong to such an extent that Seoul made for a more appropriate comparison, "given a more similar situation to Hong Kong's condition," he said.

Wong said Hong Kong people were unhappy with the opposition's filibustering as well as the shortage of public housing and exorbitant property prices and rentals.

By contrast, in Japan efforts are made to make living spaces more affordable for low-income groups.

Satisfaction, or rather dissatisfaction, with politics and society came in at 4.33 while environmental rankings stood at 4.8 and housing at 4.05, a record low in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at City University of Hong Kong Happiness Index survey.

The survey showed that youth in Hong Kong appeared less happy than their Japanese and South Korean counterparts.

Wong suggested the Hong Kong government should listen to young people's opinions more frequently.

The study also found senior citizens in Hong Kong were happier than other age groups, probably due to less work and family stress, Wong said.

The indices were based on satisfaction in six categories: politics and society, economy, environment, housing, public health, leisure and entertainment. More than 1,100 residents were interviewed in each city.

jenny@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 01/26/2016 page8)