Dissident Hong Kong Democrat shrugs off reform petition ultimatum
Members warn Wong he faces suspension from party if he goes ahead with petition in support of government's package for 2017
A Democrat who plans to break ranks with his party to launch a petition to conditionally support the government's political reform package is facing an ultimatum - drop it or face suspension of his party membership.
Two members of Democratic Party's central committee, Albert Ho Chun-yan and Ted Hui Chi-fung, issued the warning yesterday after Nelson Wong Sing-chi told the media he would begin collecting signatures soon.
Wong says he is undeterred by the caution and will announce his scheme today as scheduled.
Ho, a former party chairman known for his gentle disposition, had sharp criticism for Wong. "I don't want to speculate on his motive. But what he plans to do will embarrass our party and tarnish its reputation. He must be stopped," he said.
The party had respected members' freedom of speech, Ho said, but Wong had taken an action "which would totally cross our bottom-line and has angered party members and our allies, who have been explaining to people in the streets why we will veto the reform package".
He said: "People could ask: is the Democratic Party adopting dual tactics to pave the way for a change of mind on the vote?"
Wong's petition would be "in effect, no different" from the one launched by Robert Chow Yung's pro-Beijing alliance to back the reform, he said.
Wong has drafted a template letter for the campaign, which he plans to give to lawmakers and Beijing's liaison office in the city a week before the Legislative Council votes next month.
He argues that lawmakers should scrap their plan to vote down the package for the 2017 chief executive election if two concessions were forthcoming.
They include the introduction of a "none of the above" option on the ballot for voters dissatisfied with the two or three candidates approved by a 1,200-member nominating committee. Corporate votes for the election of the committee should be allocated to individuals instead.
But Ho said the concessions would not give voters a genuine choice of candidates.
Hui, a voice for the young generation within the party, said Wong should consider quitting the party because his action would "blur the face of the party".
If Wong presses ahead, Ho and Hui say they will call for an urgent meeting of the central committee. A decision to suspend his party membership would need approval of 60 per cent, or 18, of the members.
Wong said yesterday he was not worried by the warning, but declined to comment further. "I don't want to run into a public row with my party mates, but I respect their decision," he said.
Meanwhile, accountancy-sector lawmaker Kenneth Leung plans to launch the third opinion poll in his trade on reform. Tony Tse Wai-chuen, legislator for the architecture, surveying and planning sector, has also started a survey for the same purpose.
