I’ll back Lam for CE if she pledges democracy: Tik

The only non-establishment candidate to win a seat in the new Legco, Tik Chi-yuen, on Saturday said he would back Carrie Lam or anybody else to run for chief executive if they promise to push for democracy in Hong Kong.

In an interview with RTHK after he took the social welfare seat in the functional constituency, Tik said he will table a motion within 100 days of assuming office to urge the government to reactivate constitutional reform to introduce universal suffrage.

He said since Beijing had introduced a document on the SAR’s democratic development, and as a legislator who fights for the city’s democracy, it’s the right time to bring up the matter for discussion.

The chairman of the Third Side said he’s been in politics for some 30 years and pushing for democratic development is “in his bones.”

Tik, who’s also a member of the 1,448-strong Election Committee, said for him to support Carrie Lam, or anyone else running for chief executive, they would have to meet several conditions.

He said they would have to promise to push for democracy, make long term planning for social welfare and be willing to listen to the people.

The lawmaker-elect said the next CE needs to represent Hongkongers’s interests when communicating with the central government, rather than just executing orders from Beijing.