Dissident Tik Chi-yuen quits Hong Kong’s Democratic Party ‘to follow dream of democracy’

Democrat dissident Tik Chi-yuen has officially submitted a letter asking to withdraw from the party he co-founded, making him the second founding member to quit Hong Kong’s biggest pan-democratic party in three months.

Tik is leaving the Democratic Party to form a new moderate think tank alongside ex-lawmaker Nelson Wong Sing-chi, who was expelled by the Democrats in July for calling on his allies to back the Beijing-decreed political reform plan for the city if certain conditions were met.

In the withdrawal letter sent to the party’s central committee today and obtained by the South China Morning Post, Tik said he decided to leave the party to pursue the fight for democracy in Hong Kong and improve the livelihood of grass roots people.

“I leave the Democratic Party today not because we have already lost our dream or have shared different dreams. We just want to find the way – which we think is more suitable – to realise the dream,” Tik, a former lawmaker and ex-vice-chairman of the party, wrote.

Known for his moderate if not conservative stance, Tik admitted he and his party colleagues had different thoughts on what strategies should be adopted in fighting for democracy – which he said was normal – but was sad to see they could not resolve such conflicts through rational dialogue.

Tik had publicly backed the reform plan which was voted down by all 27 pan-democratic lawmakers in June.

“It’s a pity that we have come under pressure from outside which has made no room for [the party] to allow, tolerate and accept different voices. This has made people sad,” he wrote.

Tik said it was a tough decision to quit the party he co-founded and looked forward to cooperating with his ex-colleagues in the democracy fight.

Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing had said on Sunday that she would respect Tik’s decision, adding she thought neither Tik not Wong shared the same cause as the party.

Today Lau denied that her party could not tolerate dissenting opinions.

"We encourage discussion in the party," Lau said. "Tik is entitled to his views. But I can say that the Democratic Party is very much open to dissenting voices."

She added she was not worried that Tik’s departure would affect the unity of the party. But she said it was too early to speculate on the impact on the Democrat's performance in the upcoming district council elections.

Democrat lawmaker Helena Wong Pik-wan added: "Tik has openly talked about his intention to resign. So it didn’t come as a big surprise.

"His differences with the party brewed since the debates on political reforms.

"But I would like to stress that being a moderate pan-democrat does not mean you have to accept unreasonable things imposed on you.

"And it is not radical when you refuse to give up your principles.”

Additional reporting by Ng Kang-chung