PFP, KMT cooperation looks in doubt

The People First Party (PFP) has tapped its deputy secretary-general, Chin Chin-sheng (秦金生), to run in the Taipei County Commissioner's race -- a sign that the party's cooperation with the KMT is falling apart.

Word that Chin plans to run in Taipei County was leaked to the media late Sunday evening.

The PFP is expected to formally announce Chin as its candidate in the race either today or tomorrow, sources close to the party said.

"If the PFP wants to win the seat in the Taipei County commissioner's race, it can't keep delaying the announcement. After all, there are only four months left," Chin told the Taipei Times yesterday.

But Chin's participation in the race deals a blow to the cooperation agreement formed between the KMT and the PFP.

The two parties had agreed earlier to jointly back a KMT candidate in Taoyuan, Tainan and Penghu counties and a PFP candidate in Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taitung.

To date, joint candidates have been agreed upon by both parties in any of the races.

And with the year-end elections approaching, pressure is building to nominate candidates, as the DPP has long been on the campaign trail.

"It's a pity to see the opposition alliance fail to unite," said KMT legislator Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉), who is representing the KMT in the race.

Chin said he was running because of dissatisfaction with Lin among PFP members and KMT grassroots supporters. "A lot of KMT supporters have shown some reservations about Lin, and PFP supporters also find it difficult to accept Lin," Chin said.

"Since the KMT has reservations toward Lin, PFP supporters urged the party to have its own candidate," he said.

Chin predicted that a "dump Lin, save Chin" (棄林保秦) effect would help him win the office.

Taipei County has been in the DPP's hands for 12 years. With a population of 6 million, the constituency is considered the most important in Taiwan.

Initial cooperation attempts between the KMT and PFP for the year-end elections suffered their first major setback on July 10, after former justice minister Liao Cheng-hao (廖正豪) turned down an invitation to run in the Taipei County commissioner's race.

Following Liao's withdrawal from the race, the KMT's Lin decided to throw his hat into the ring.

Lin conceded yesterday that it "hasn't been easy" to communicate with high-ranking party members from the KMT and PFP. Instead, he plans to build his support among "grassroots" supporters in Taipei County.

The lawmaker -- who ran for the seat before without the KMT's nomination -- said cooperation between the KMT and PFP was necessary, otherwise DPP incumbent Su Chen-chang (蘇貞昌) will continue to hold the post.