More than 65 percent of Beijingers believe the quality of services in municipal offices is poor.

Beijingers were asked to rate the service offered by the city's administrative organs as part of a three-week-long online service held by Beijing's Municipal People's Congress.

A total of 289 people ranked services on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best service possible.

Some 188 respondents gave services 1 point and 33 marked 2 points.

Only 32 people, or 11 percent, gave the city high marks of 5.

The survey focused on the implementation of the Administrative Licensing Law that took effect on July 1.

One respondent even complained about the lack of pens available at the tax office.

He said he was trying to get a licence at a tax station in Beijing only to be confronted by rude staff.

"I discovered I had made several mistakes in the application form, but I did not have a carbon pen with me at that time.

"I asked the tax officers to borrow a carbon pen, but they said indifferently that they had only ball-point pens, which cannot be used on official forms. They said I had to go and buy a fountain pen at a nearby store.

"Couldn't they prepare several fountain pens for applicants?"

Another respondent said he felt angry that government organs usually shift responsibility onto others.

He said he reported several problems in his community but a month later, he had not received a response.

When he went and asked again, officials said they had passed the problems to an upper government organ and suggested he report his problems to other departments if he wanted to solve them sooner.

Beside the poor service, respondents also showed unsatisfaction on other items of the implementation of the Law.

For instance, more than half of the respondents gave low marks to how organs handle information on the outcome of applications and the process of making licensing decisions on the spot.

The Beijing Municipal People's Congress said through the survey, which ended on October 31, it solicited opinions and suggestions to help improve the quality and efficiency of government operations.

(China Daily November 2, 2004)