Former justice minister leaves KMT to join Soong

Former justice minister Liao Cheng-hao (廖正豪) announced his resignation from the KMT yesterday, in what is interpreted as a gesture of support for independent presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜).

Liao made his announcement at a news conference yesterday, but stopped short of formally declaring his support for Soong. "I will explain things in detail at the right time," he said.

Liao is widely expected to take up the post of Soong's campaign manager.

Liao's resignation came one day before the opening ceremony for Soong's national campaign headquarters in Taipei and one day after former Legislative Yuan speaker Liu Sung-fan (劉松藩) threw his support behind Soong.

The KMT reacted angrily to Liao's resignation.

"I'm afraid Mr Liao might be questioned about severely criticizing the party and quitting the party at this sensitive moment," party spokesman Huang Hui-chen (黃輝珍) said.

Liao, a member of a powerful Chiayi County family, is believed to have snubbed the KMT partly because of his highly publicized row with Premier Vincent Siew (蕭萬長), the party's candidate for vice president. Siew is a member of a rival family in Chiayi.

DPP Secretary-General You Hsi-kun called both Liao and Liu "frustrated politicians" and said the impact of Liao's resignation will be minimal.

Liao's support will not significantly increase popular support for Soong's camp, You said.

You also called Soong's campaign team "an adventurist composition of frustrated politicians," rather than an alliance based on political concepts.