Ministry of Communications and Information Public Opinion Polls

13 Mr Chen Show Mao asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) how many public opinion polls did the Ministry commission in 2016; (b) what were the topics for each of these polls; (c) what was the cost of commissioning each of these polls; (d) what were the summary findings of each of these polls; and (e) whether and when will the Ministry publish the results of these polls.

Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: The Ministry of Communications and Information conducts occasional surveys to understand public sentiment on issues and to assess public awareness of, and response to, specific Government policies and programmes. Survey data has helped the Government evaluate if there are segments of the population who might benefit from a better understanding of a policy or programme. The data also helps the Government adjust the way it delivers services or implements policies to better meet the needs of citizens.

In 2016, we commissioned a number of surveys on a range of issues, including public perceptions of the annual Budget, public transport, changes to the elected presidency, as well as attitudes towards the death penalty in Singapore. The feedback unit Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry @ Home (REACH) periodically releases findings that may be of interest to the public. The amount spent by the Government on surveys is in line with market rates.