Cooperation attempts between the KMT and People First Party for the year-end elections suffered a setback yesterday after former justice minister Liao Cheng-hao (廖正豪) turned down an invitation to run in the Taipei County commissioner's race.
In a written statement published last night, Liao expressed his appreciation for the invitation, but after thorough consideration, decided not to stand in the race.
"Will our country continue to deteriorate at the current rate? Is slandering others the only way in politics? Is participating in political activities the only way to serve the country?" Liao asked rhetorically, before responding "no" to each question.
Liao said that given a number of considerations -- along with the opinions of his family -- he decided to decline the offer by the two parties to run for Taipei County commissioner.
Sources said before the written statement was released that Liao had informed high-ranking officials of both parties about his intention not to run after he met with PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) on Monday evening.
Liao's refusal to run prompted an emergency meeting between Soong and KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) yesterday afternoon to discuss a contingency plan. The plan must now address the possible absence of a strong candidate in a constituency which the opposition parties consider crucial.
Taipei County has been under the administration of a DPP-led government for 12 years. With a population of six million, it's the biggest county in Taiwan.
"Lien and Soong respected Liao's decision. While they exchanged opinions on the recent political development, they talked about what to do next in Taipei County," PFP Secretary-General Chung Jung-chi (鍾榮吉) told the media after the Lien-Soong meeting.
But Chung did not further comment with respect to who would be the most suitable candidate.
The list of hopefuls includes KMT legislator Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉); Chin Chin-sheng (秦金生), deputy secretary-general of the PFP; and New Party heavyweight Wang Chieh-shieh.
Chao Shou-po (趙守博), chairman of the KMT's Organization and Development Committee, said that the two parties would make a final decision "very soon" because "there is no time to procrastinate."
"The opposition parties will not be absent in the Taipei County constituency -- there are many other people who are interested," Chao said.
Liao's reference to "slander" in his statement yesterday apparently referred to accusations made by KMT lawmaker Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉).
Lin, a candidate in the race who had been frustrated over Liao's wavering on whether to run, on Sunday said Liao was holding out for NT$365 million in campaign funds before promising to stand in the race.
"I simply echoed the voice of the grassroots, because I thought the party needed to face the subject seriously," Lin told the Taipei Times, explaining the remarks he made on Sunday.
The lawmaker also said he believed his chance of winning the nod from the KMT and PFP had increased now that Liao is out of the running.
Lin argued that the KMT and PFP will be forced to cooperate in the Taipei County commissioner's race, otherwise the seat will return to DPP incumbent Su Chen-chang (
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique