Wang shies away from running campaign

Legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday drew back from taking on leadership of the KMT-PFP alliance's presidential election campaign, saying the two candidates would first have to demonstrate they were sincere about putting the interests of the people first.

The surprising comments from Wang, who is KMT vice chairman and one of the party's most senior members, came a week after he discussed the matter during a one-hour meeting with KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰), who is running for president with PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) as his running mate.

"My decision on whether to take over the post as director-general at the pan-blue campaign headquarters for the next presidential election will be based upon how KMT-PFP cooperation is working out and the two party chairmen's thoughts and deeds," Wang said.

Wang explained that he had to make sure Lien and Soong could persuade the electorate that their presidential bid was being conducted in the public and national interest.

"My loyalty to the KMT, to Chairman Lien and to the pan-blue presidential candidates is beyond doubt," Wang told reporters after a KMT seminar in Taipei yesterday.

"But I need to confirm that the two candidates have laid out a vision that is driving them to the presidency before I can accept the offer to lead the headquarters," Wang said.

The DPP leapt on the comment as an indication of uncertainty within the KMT-PFP alliance.

"Wang is not the only KMT member who is suspicious of Lien and Soong's motivations, since the two politicians' eagerness for the presidency has been publicly known for the past three years," DPP legislative leader Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said.

He said the pan-blue candidates should elaborate their vision and reasons to run in the election to their supporters and the general public.

PFP Secretary-General Tsai Chung-hsiung (蔡鐘雄) put a more positive spin on Wang's comments, saying the legislative speaker's remarks reflected his cautiousness regarding major national issues.

"I was not surprised to hear these remarks from Wang since he has to think of his important position [in the legislature] when commenting on this debate," Tsai said.