Former premier Frank Hsieh (
Hsieh is the first of the four big DPP figures viewed as possible presidential contenders to declare his candidacy. The others are Vice President Annette Lu (
His announcement came three days after former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
"I will take advantage of the Lunar New Year holidays to ponder the issues of public welfare and tax reform. I will then register for the DPP's presidential primary," Hsieh said while meeting with grassroots supporters in Kaohsiung.
Registration for the primary will be open from March 5 to March 9, according to the schedule finalized by the party's Central Standing Committee on Wednesday.
Party members will vote on both presidential and legislative hopefuls on May 6, after which public opinion polls will be held.
The party member vote counts for 30 percent of a would-be candidate's "score," while the public poll counts for 70 percent. The presidential hopeful who receives the highest approval rating will be named as the party's presidential standard-bearer on May 30.
The party has denied changing its timetable in reaction to Ma's announcement.
In response to supporters cheering "Go for the presidency!" and "President Hsieh!" the former Kaohsiung mayor said he had listened to his supporters' calls for him to run and he would work hard to win.
He refused, however, to say whom he would like to see as a vice presidential running mate.
Asked to comment on a meeting between Ma and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) to discuss the KMT's presidential nomination, Hsieh said he hoped the meeting was a success.
He also called on Ma not to make public appeals about his indictment on corruption charges.
"It's a judicial issue. The public did not see the evidence and has no right to conduct an investigation ... Political leaders should speak and act cautiously," Hsieh said, referring to Ma's condemnation of the prosecutors' who indicted him.
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