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Sammy Heung

Hong Kong Unison’s founder has expressed support for its board’s decision to disband after 24 years of advocating for the rights of the city’s ethnic minority groups, saying she did not wish to see the organisation be “exploited by opportunists for personal or political gain”.
Fermi Wong Wai-fun, who left the group in 2014, broke her silence on Saturday over the dissolution of the NGO, a day after the decision was announced.
Wong said she fully understood the move, pointing to the difficulties and challenges it faced.
“I fully support and respect the board’s decision and would like to express my sincere gratitude to every board member over the past 24 years,” she wrote on social media.
On Friday, John Tse Wing-ling, who was fired as Unison’s executive director along with the decision to dissolve, called the move “irresponsible” and a shock to donors and staff.
Wong said members of the ethnic minority community had shared their dissatisfaction over Tse in the past two years, although she chose to remain silent and leave the group’s governance to the board.
“Yesterday, a journalist shared with me a press release by Mr John Tse,” she wrote. “After reading it, I was deeply shocked and disappointed by [it].”
Wong also stressed that the voluntary liquidation was “a decision made after careful deliberation”.
It was never the NGO’s founding mission to provide direct services as many government-funded organisations had been doing so, she said.
“If the original mission and vision of Hong Kong Unison can no longer be upheld, I would rather see it ‘break as jade than remain intact as tile’ – choosing voluntary liquidation over being exploited by opportunists for personal or political gain,” she said.
“To avoid giving undue attention to those with ulterior motives, I will not engage in a point-by-point rebuttal. However, I stand by my absolute trust in the professionalism and integrity of the board, and I hope the public can discern the truth.”
In a reply to the Post, Tse urged Wong to provide evidence for her claims. He said he did ask the group to “depoliticise” two months after he took up his role, but he was not trying to use the group to make any political stance. If his performance was poor, the organisation could have dismissed him, he added.
The NGO was established in 2001 and incorporated as a charitable organisation in 2005. Citing health issues, Wong resigned as the executive director in 2013, but stayed until June 2014 to finish writing a book. A supporter of the 2014 Occupy movement, she moved to Britain in late 2020.
Organisation chairwoman Alice Chong Ming-lin said on Friday the decision to dissolve was made because the NGO had fulfilled its mission, stressing the move was not due to political or financial reasons.
She said 16 out of 17 voting members supported the decision earlier in the day, and two liquidators had been appointed to settle the group’s debts and liabilities.

She admitted the group’s dissolution would have an impact on ethnic minority communities, but pointed out that more than 30 organisations were still working to support them in various areas such as education and employment.
Tse, a former member of the city’s equality watchdog, cast the sole opposing vote at the general meeting, saying that the reason given was “unconvincing and ridiculous”.
He described the move as “irresponsible”, adding that the disbandment process lacked transparency, and had taken volunteers, staff and beneficiaries by surprise.
Wong said on Saturday the group’s founding vision and mission was policy advocacy, which included pushing for laws against racial discrimination, advocating for changes in public school admission policies and ensuring high-quality Chinese-language education for students from ethnic minority backgrounds.
“Thanks to the leadership and efforts of the board, these objectives have largely been achieved,” she said. “However, the road to racial equality remains long and challenging. The work of Hong Kong Unison has only laid the foundation – from ‘zero’ to ‘one’ – and ethnic minority communities still face many obstacles.”
Ongoing efforts from various sectors would be essential to sustain this progress, she added.
Wong also clarified that when Chong described the disbandment as a “glorious conclusion” during the press conference a day ago, it meant it had “largely fulfilled its original mission and objectives”.
“This does not imply that racial discrimination has been eradicated in Hong Kong,” she said.


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Hong Kong Unison founder endorses decision to disband citing ‘exploitation’ fears

Fermi Wong has said she would rather the group “break as jade than remain intact as tile” than be exploited. Photo: SCMP

John Tse, who was fired as Unison’s executive director along with the decision to dissolve, has called the move “irresponsible” and a shock to donors and staff. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong Unison disbands after 24 years of advocating for ethnic minority groups

Hong Kong Unison hold a press conference after meeting to discuss the dissolution of the organisation. Seated at the desk (from left) are vice-chairwoman Paryani Puja Kapai, chairwoman Alice Chong and treasurer Cheng Po Wah. Photo: Jelly Tse

Members of Hong Kong Unison attend the general meeting called to discuss the disbanding of the organisation. Photo: Jelly Tse

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Ahmad Rida Nisar stands with her mural of Wah Fu Estate. Photo: Sun Yeung

News

Hong Kong

Society

Fermi Wong says she prefers ethnic minority rights advocacy group dissolves, rather than be used by opportunists for ‘ulterior motives’


Fermi Wong says she prefers ethnic minority rights advocacy group dissolves, rather than be used by opportunists for ‘ulterior motives’.


Ethnic minorities in Hong Kong