'Umbrella father': How Occupy was a wake-up call for ordinary Joe and election miracle winner Chui Chi-kin

Chui Chi-kin does not appear much different to other middle-aged men living in Chai Wan. The 46-year-old was a relative unknown until Sunday, when he displaced one of the most well-known names in the pro-establishment camp, Christopher Chung Shu-kun.

The victory was nothing short of a “miracle”, according to analysts, since Chung, of the city’s biggest political force, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, was respected citywide as a veteran Beijing loyalist and member of the Legislative Council.

Chui, a trader by profession, was an independent candidate not backed by any political party. A career in politics was never part of his plan – until the 79-day Occupy sit-ins last year jolted him into action.

The protests were a wake-up call. Chui felt guilty watching students taking up the front lines in the fight for democracy and blamed himself for living a life of political indifference.

“Middle-aged people like me have devoted our whole lives to earning money. We did not try hard enough to defend Hong Kong’s core values,” he said.