Executive councillor Anna Wu snubs petition opposing Occupy Central

An executive councillor known for her liberal views has broken ranks with most members of the government's policymaking body by choosing not to sign a petition backing the police and calling for an end to Occupy Central protests.

Anna Wu Hung-yuk, chairwoman of the Competition Commission and Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, has now snubbed two petitions by the Alliance for Peace and Democracy, the first launched in July and the second in October.

At the time of the first one Wu said that she would not sign any petition that dealt with political positions. "My position has not changed, and as stated the last time I do not sign any petition for or against any particular position with matters of this type," Wu said.

Wu, a solicitor, urged students at the helm of the pro-democracy protests to consider forming a political party to groom leaders and take part in public policymaking.

Executive Council convenor Lam Woon-kwong, who also chose not to sign the first petition, did not respond to inquiries regarding the second.

Wu and Lam are among the 14 non-official members of Exco, which assists the chief executive in policymaking. The other 12 non-official members all signed the second petition despite concerns the campaign is adding to political polarisation in the city. Twelve of the 16 official Exco members had signed the first.