Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) yesterday tearfully announced that he would not stand in the year-end mayoral election for Sinbei City (新北市) — as Taipei County will be known after it is upgraded to a special municipality — and threw his backing behind Vice Premier Eric Chu (朱立倫).
Chou said President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who doubles as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman, and KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung (金溥聰) had talked to him about his election bid twice.
Because the party, the Presidential Office and the Executive Yuan all supported Chu, Chou said he had decided to respect the democratic system and endorse Chu because this rival was leading in the polls.
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES
“I hope to set a precedent by showing that an elected public official does not need to serve two terms,” he said. “Only with the mindset that he has only one term to serve can a person do a better job.”
Despite speculation that Chou’s decision was made in exchange for a position in the Cabinet or Presidential Office, he said he would not join either body, nor would he accept an appointment at a state-owned business.
“I will work until the very last day,” he said. “The rumor that I would join the Cabinet or Presidential Office has been circulating for two years. I guarantee you that there won’t be any exchange or under-the-table deal.”
When asked about his future plans, Chou said his top priority was to finish his term, adding that he needed time to think about what he would do next.
Chou’s election bid has been in question because of his lackluster performance and poor approval ratings. Ma said before the Lunar New Year that the KMT would decide on a candidate a month or two after the holiday.
Both the KMT and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) hope to win the first mayoral race for the city, which will have the biggest population of any administrative district in the country, to gain momentum before the 2012 presidential election.
Meanwhile, Chu dismissed speculation that he would run in the Sinbei race, saying he admired Chou’s decision and respected the effort he had put in to county affairs.
“I hope the pubic and media will judge him fairly,” he said.
Chu said it was up to the party to decide when or who to nominate, emphasizing that his top priority was to perform his duties as vice premier, including lowering the unemployment rate and improving the economy.
When asked whether he was ready to take up the new challenge, he said his challenge was to do his current job well.
Chu made the remarks during a meeting organized by the KMT yesterday afternoon for Cabinet officials and party lawmakers to discuss how they could boost cooperation.
King said he did not know about Chou’s decision in advance, but would telephone him and then follow up with a meeting as soon as possible.
King said the last time they talked, Chou told him that he would respect the polls.
Asked who might be Chu’s successor, with Council for Economic Planning and Development Chairman Tsai Hsun-hsiung (蔡勳雄) being touted as one of the possible candidates, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said he does not comment on hypothetical questions.
“There is no such situation, at least for the moment,” Wu said.
However, Wu said he believed Chu would do an excellent job in whatever post he was in judging from his outstanding performances in previous positions, such as lawmaker and Taoyuan County commissioner.
Wu also said former Hsinchu City mayor Lin Jung-tzer (林政則) was likely to join the Cabinet as a minister-without-portfolio.
Lin earlier turned down Wu’s offer to lead the state-run Taiwan Water Corp, saying he needed to take care of his elderly mother.
Wu also confirmed that Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), an associate professor of political science in Soochow University, would succeed Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) as Government Information Office minister.
Su will take over as KMT spokesman.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添), who is reportedly to be replaced, said he would focus his attention on handling foreign affairs rather than media reports on his position.
Meanwhile, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said it was regrettable that Chou had become a lame duck one year before the end of his term.
DPP Legislator Huang Wei-cher (黃偉哲) said the surprise announcement was designed to strengthen President Ma’s re-election bid in 2012.
“By casting Chu [as the Sinbei nominee], [the KMT] is forcing the DPP to nominate [former premier] Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) or another party heavyweight,” Huang said. “This is one less obstacle to Ma’s re-election bid.”
Meanwhile, Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡), a former DPP lawmaker who heads the party’s Taipei County branch, said that by backing out, Chou was admitting that his tenure had been a failure.
DPP Secretary-General Su Jia-chuan (蘇嘉全) said the KMT should be focusing on governing the country rather than worrying about elections that are 10 months away.
“The [KMT] has been busy making election preparations,” DPP spokesman Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) said. “It is hard to believe that Chou made this decision willingly.”
Lin said the announcement demonstrated that the KMT has not been committed to a fair and equal nomination process.
“The only thing important in their party is what high-level party officials dictate,” Lin said.
He said that despite signs that the KMT was already gearing up for the December municipal elections, his party would stick to its original nomination timetables.
DPP nominations in Kaohsiung and Tainan cities are expected to commence next month, with final party polls taking place in May. The DPP said it would have more “flexibility” in timing for the other three cities — Taichung, Sinbei and Taipei.
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