Lien follows Soong in visiting ousted KMT elder

Vice President and KMT presidential candidate Lien Chan (3s戰) paid a visit yesterday to former Judicial Yuan president and ousted party elder Lin Yang-kang (林洋港).

Lin challenged Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) for the presidency in early 1990, causing the KMT to suffer an internal split. He also ran as an independent in the 1996 elections.

Lien's visit came on the heels of a visit by recently expelled independent presidential candidate James Soong's (宋楚瑜) at his home in Taichung.

Lien was reported to have walked out hand in hand with Lin after a one-hour meeting accompanied by Taiwan Provincial Governer Chou Shou-po (趙|u3?/CHINESE>), Taiwan Consultative Council Speaker Lin Poh-jung (林柏榕) and Lin's brother, former Nantou County commissioner Lin Yuan-lang (林源朗).

With the presidential election approaching, Lin had many precious opinions to offer, said Lien.

Asked whether or not Lin will support Lien in the presidential election, Lien replied with a smile: "It goes without saying."

Lin said he will not make his preference public, adding that he will not criticize any candidate -- as all the candidates who plan to run for the election are "the country's talents."

Asked if he will rejoin the KMT, Lin said the timing is not right and that he had no intention to apply for party membership.

Lin Poh-jung, however, recounted what the former party elder had said during the meeting. He said his stance was the same as his brother's and since his brother had joined the meeting, the answer did not bear repeating.

In related news, a report yesterday quoted what it called an old staff member of Lin's as saying the timing for Lin to rejoin the KMT is not right.

According to the report, the staff member said he previously tried to persuade the party to encourage Lin to return, but failed to receive a positive reply.

He complained that the party did not show enough respect for Lin, the report said.