Protesters face off with police (bottom) during a demonstration against an extradition bill in Hong Kong in July. Photo: AFP

A close contact of murder suspect Chan Tong-kai, whose case triggered the Hong Kong extradition bill and months-long unrest, denied on Tuesday online rumors that Chan had been recruited to work for a Hong Kong-based US company. 

Reverend Peter Douglas Koon Ho-ming, provincial secretary general of the Anglican church in Hong Kong, told the Global Times that Chan still plans to surrender to authorities in the island of Taiwan and it's only "a matter of time" before he does so.  

The rumor was spread by a few people attempting to hype resentment, and Chan's current situation has not changed, Koon said. 

Koon had frequently visited Chan and helped convince him to surrender after serving a 29-month prison term in Hong Kong for money laundering. 

Chan was released from a Hong Kong prison on October 23. He said publically that he felt remorse and wants to turn himself in to Taiwan authorities and face charges of murdering his Taiwan girlfriend there. 

Taiwan regional authority had rejected an attempt by Chan to surrender to Taiwan authorities for trial and refused to grant him entry to the island. 

Chan's case prompted the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government to propose an extradition bill, since no formal extradition agreement exists between Hong Kong and Taiwan.  Chan has not been sent to the island to face murder charges, and Hong Kong authorities were only able to charge and convict him of money laundering. 

Opposition to the proposed extradition bill has evolved into violent city-wide protests that have severely disrupted social order and have jeopardized the rule of law in Hong Kong.

Chan has also said that he felt remorse after learning the bill had sparked the social unrest, and he hopes that his surrender will calm the situation.