Fung Wai-wah (; born 1960) is a Hong Kong educator, social worker and activist. He is the final president of the
Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union
The Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union (HKPTU) was a pro-democracy trade union, professional association and social concern group in Hong Kong. Until its disbandment in 2021, it was the largest teachers' organisation in Hong Kong with s ...
(HKPTU), the largest teachers' union in the territory which disbanded in August 2021,
and the former convenor of the
Alliance for Universal Suffrage
The Alliance for Universal Suffrage was a coalition formed by 11 Pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong, pro-democracy parties and groups in Hong Kong. The Convenor of the Alliance was Fung Wai-wah.
It provided a single point of contact to interfac ...
, a
pro-democracy
Democratization, or democratisation, is the transition to a more democratic political regime, including substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction. It may be a hybrid regime in transition from an authoritarian regime to a full ...
coalition on the issue of the
2017 and 2020 universal suffrage.
Social work and teaching career
Fung served as a social worker in the youth and community development service of
Caritas Hong Kong
Caritas Hong Kong is a charitable organisation, a member of Caritas Internationalis, founded by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong in July 1953. It started with relief and rehabilitation services to the poor and the distressed after the Second ...
before he began to teach social workers. He taught at the
City University of Hong Kong
City University of Hong Kong (CityU) is a world-class public research university located in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. It was founded in 1984 as City Polytechnic of Hong Kong and became a fully accredited university in 1994. Currently, CityU is ...
(CityU) since 1989 and became Senior Lecturer at the School of Continuing and Professional Education.
He has been member of the staff association of the CityU. In 2003, he formed a group called "Save the College Action Group of CityU" to protest against the university's decision to fire all the teaching staff and employees of the sub-degree programmes, as a result of the government's decision to cut funding to the sub-degree programmes. It lodged a complaint to the Panel on Education of the
Legislative Council and successfully switched the operation mode of sub-degree programs from a subsidized basis to a self-financing basis.
He has served as an elected member of the CityU Council since 2006. In 2008, Fung protested to CityU Council chairman
Leung Chun-ying
Leung Chun-ying (; born 12 August 1954), also known as CY Leung, is a Hong Kong politician and chartered surveyor, who has served as vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference since Mar ...
over the reduction of the salaries of the Community College staff with other staff association members. Despite Leung's promise to compensate the staff, Leung refused to compensate when the college recorded financial surplus in the following years.
PTU member and president
He joined the
Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union
The Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union (HKPTU) was a pro-democracy trade union, professional association and social concern group in Hong Kong. Until its disbandment in 2021, it was the largest teachers' organisation in Hong Kong with s ...
(HKPTU), the largest teachers' union in the territory, in 1989 and was invited by president
Cheung Man-kwong
Cheung Man-kwong (, born 15 September 1954) is a Hong Kong politician, who is a member of the Yuen Long District Council.
Background
Born in Hong Kong with family roots in Taishan, Cheung was a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council repres ...
to sit on the PTU executive committee after the success of the "Save the College Action Group of CityU" action group. In 2010, Fung succeeded Cheung to become the third president of the PTU.
In 2010, Fung was elected as the convenor of the
Alliance for Universal Suffrage
The Alliance for Universal Suffrage was a coalition formed by 11 Pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong, pro-democracy parties and groups in Hong Kong. The Convenor of the Alliance was Fung Wai-wah.
It provided a single point of contact to interfac ...
, a coalition consisting of eleven
pro-democracy
Democratization, or democratisation, is the transition to a more democratic political regime, including substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction. It may be a hybrid regime in transition from an authoritarian regime to a full ...
parties on the issue of the
government's reform package on the 2012 elections of the
Chief Executive
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
and the Legislative Council to be the balanced force in the midst of the increasing differences and conflicts on the approaches on striving for universal suffrage between the moderate faction led by the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
and the radical faction
League of Social Democrats
The League of Social Democrats (LSD) is a social democratic party in Hong Kong. Chaired by Chan Po-ying, wife of Leung Kwok-hung, it positions itself as the radical wing of the pro-democracy camp (Hong Kong), pro-democracy camp and stresses on ...
(LSD).
The Alliance was considered as "moderate" and did not support the "
Five Constituencies Referendum
The 2010 Hong Kong Legislative Council by-election was an election held on 16 May 2010 in Hong Kong for all five geographical constituencies of the Legislative Council (LegCo), triggered by the resignation of five pan-democrat Legislative Counc ...
" launched by
Civic Party
The Civic Party (CP) is a pro-democracy liberal political party in Hong Kong. It is currently chaired by barrister Alan Leong.
The party was formed in 2006 on the basis of the Basic Law Article 45 Concern Group, which was derived from the B ...
and LSD. Fung later endorsed the Democrats' revised constitutional reform package and therefore was heavily criticised by the LSD chairman
Wong Yuk-man
Raymond Wong Yuk-man (; born 1 October 1951) is a Hong Kong communist, pro-china, author, current affairs commentator and radio host. He is a former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo), representing the geographical constitue ...
. In 2013, Fung announced the Alliance "will be indefinitely suspended" in order to form a
new body
"New Body" is an unreleased song by American rapper Kanye West featuring vocals from Ty Dolla Sign and Nicki Minaj. It was originally slated to be included on West's album ''Yandhi'' which was never released. The song's original lyrics are about ...
with other pan-democrats on the matter of full universal suffrage.
Fung initially intended to run in the
2012 Legislative Council election
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1 ...
in the
Education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
functional constituency
A functional constituency is an electoral device (a non-geographical constituency) used within the political systems of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China:
* Functional constituency (Hong Kong)
* Functional cons ...
after incumbent Cheung Man-kwong announced his retirement from the seat and candidacy in
Kowloon West
Kowloon West is the western part of Kowloon, covering the Yau Tsim Mong and Sham Shui Po District, with Kowloon City District occasionally included.
History
The boundary of Kowloon West is not strictly defined and hence varies. While traditio ...
geographical constituency
In Hong Kong, geographical constituencies, as opposed to functional constituencies, are elected by all eligible voters according to geographically demarcated constituencies. There are currently 5 geographical constituencies in Hong Kong, returnin ...
, but later withdraw his candidacy citing his health problem. The seat was taken up by another PTU executive committee member
Ip Kin-yuen
Ip Kin-yuen (, born 1961) is a former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong for Education constituency and a chief executive for Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union.
Background
Ip graduated from University of Hong Kong with Bachelo ...
as a result.
Fung has been a member of the
Election Committee
The Election Committee is a Hong Kong electoral college, the function of which is to select the Chief Executive (CE) and, since 2021, to elect 40 of the 90 members of the Legislative Council. Established by Annex I of the Basic Law of Hong ...
which elects the Chief Executive since 2006. In 2015, he was appointed member of the Education Commission.
On 10 August 2021, as the PTU announced its decision to disband following calls by Chinese state media and accusations by a Hong Kong government spokesperson that the union was "dragging schools into politics," Fung said that the union had felt "enormous pressure" when making the decision.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fung, Wai-wah
Living people
1960 births
Hong Kong Christians
Hong Kong democracy activists
Hong Kong educators
Hong Kong trade unionists
Academic staff of the City University of Hong Kong
Meeting Point politicians
Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2007–2012
Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2012–2017
Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2017–2021