The Jenn Lann Temple (鎮瀾宮) in Taichung’s Dajia District (大甲) yesterday became a hot spot for political campaigning by a couple of contenders for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairmanship, as they laid out their plans for the party during their visits to the nation’s most famous Matsu temple.
Accompanied by temple vice chairman Cheng Ming-kun (鄭銘坤), former KMT vice chairman Steve Chan (詹啟賢) arrived at 9am to pay homage to the goddess of the sea.
The KMT needs a leader with corporate experience as it weathers difficult times, Chan said, outlining how he helped Chi Mei Medical Center and vaccine maker Adimmune Corp (國光生技) get back on their feet when he led the two companies.
Photo: CNA
“Different challenges will surface at different stages and they have to be dealt with by different people. The most important tasks for the KMT right now are crisis management and making it more in-sync with society for it to regain the public’s support,” Chan said.
If he were elected party chairman on May 20, he would work toward representing the party in the 2020 presidential election, Chan said, adding that he would be willing to take a backseat should a better candidate emerge.
Having served as minister of the now-defunct department of health and policy adviser to former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), Chan resigned as KMT vice chairman earlier this month, reportedly due to his disapproval of KMT Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu’s (洪秀柱) handling of the thorny party assets issue.
Hours later, KMT Vice Chairman and former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) arrived at the temple, accompanied by several high-profile politicians, including former Taichung mayor Jason Hu (胡志強), temple chairman Yen Ching-piao (顏清標), and scores of Taichung city councilors and local borough wardens.
Hau said he would not run for the presidency in 2020 if elected KMT chairman and would respect different opinions.
Hau said he intends to move the party toward collective leadership, facilitate integration between the KMT’s legislative caucus and local city and county council caucuses, and push for a generational change in the party.
“The most important goal is for the party to regain power and ensure its victory in the 2018 local elections and the 2020 presidential race,” Hau said.
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