Defector happy to be on the other side

Andrew Fung Wai-kwong may have endured no small amount of abuse after he quit the Democratic Party to serve as beleaguered Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's information coordinator - but at least the "traitor" is happy. "I am way happier than before," Fung told All Around Town. "I feel like I am helping Hong Kong." His path has continued to diverge from the Democrats since his appointment in December: while former colleagues have vowed to join Occupy Central's civil disobedience action if the government fails to offer a satisfactory electoral reform plan, Fung proudly revealed he had signed a petition, organised by the pro-establishment Alliance for Peace and Democracy, to oppose Occupy. Who cares about going down in history as a defector?

Independent district councillors see membership of a political party as a way to access more resources to serve constituents, but Clarice Cheung Wai-ching says "freedom" in her work comes first. That was why the Kwai Tsing councillor quit the pro-establishment New People's Party on Friday after two years, and has no plan to join any other group. "I want to be freer," Cheung said. "There are not many restrictions … but sometimes when you want to make a banner or print leaflets, you have to seek the party's approval. I just want to do things more quickly and freely." She emphasised that her departure had nothing to do with personal relationships, saying chairwoman Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee and lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun were still her friends.