Stop Toeing Official Line, Says Murder Victim's Mum

The mother of murder victim Poon Hiu-wing on Tuesday called on Security Secretary John Lee to stop toeing the official line and provide evidence to his Taiwan counterparts, so that suspect Chan Tong-kai can turn himself in.

In her first public appearance since the anti-extradition protests erupted last year, Poon's mother said Chan should act on his word and go to Taiwan by Friday – a year since his release from a Hong Kong prison.

"I'm sure if the person Chan Tong-kai killed, dumped into the wild and chopped into bits were your son..." Poon said, her voice breaking off as she read out a petition addressed to Lee.

"Your heart would be torn even more than mine," she said outside the government's headquarters, addressing Lee. "I'm sure you would want Chan to go to Taiwan and turn himself in."

Poon said Lee and those helping Chan should know that there is only one way for the suspect to go to Taiwan, and that is to apply through a special channel the island had set up last year for the case.

"There's a phone number for this...Taiwan [officials] had said this many times, you must work through that channel, you can't just go to their office [in Hong Kong] and apply," the mother told reporters.

Poon said she thinks there's a major difference between this year and last when it comes to the government officials' attitude towards her family.

"Originally, they said they intended to seek justice. Now, they say they can do nothing about this case," she said.

The mother said she can't get over her daughter's murder and she wants justice to be done, saying she's very disappointed with the Hong Kong government and Reverend Peter Koon, who's been helping Chan.