Soong has yet to decide to run for legislator-at-large

People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) said yesterday he has yet to decide whether to put his name on a list of the party's candidates for legislator-at-large.

The party is expected to complete its nominations for the seats this week. A number of Soong's supporters have urged the PFP to include his name on the list.

Based on a forecast of the party's likely performance in the Dec. 1 polls, the PFP could garner eight to 10 legislator-at-large seats.

A party's share of votes for constituency-based seats determines its number of legislator-at-large seats.

While some have proposed that Soong be placed at the top of the party's list of nominees, others have suggested that he be ranked "at the periphery," from the ninth to the 11th.

Supporters of this proposal view the plan as a "rescue" tactic. By placing Soong toward the bottom of the list, they reason, the party could attract more votes for its constituency-based seats from supporters who wish to see him enter the legislature.

Soong said yesterday he would decide in a few days whether to run for a seat.

But instead of rescuing the PFP, he said, "What we really need to do rescue is Taiwan, namely, to rescue the basic conditions for Taiwan's people to survive."

Soong said yesterday that in addition to PFP supporters, friends, including former DPP spokeswoman Sisy Chen (陳文茜) and former DPP chairman Shih Ming-te (施明德), have also urged him to become a legislator-at-large.

Soong said he was surprised when the idea was first suggested to him because he never held any such plans before and his family opposed the idea.

Soong said his party would consider the professional background of its candidates, rather than their relationship with the party leadership, when choosing the legislator-at-large nominees.

Despite Soong's hesitance, PFP lawmakers yesterday were quick to express their support for the move.

"Soong should definitely serve as a PFP legislator-at-large to lead our excellent team in the legislature," Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠) said.

Chin said Soong's joining the legislature would help improve the system of checks and balances in the government, given his administrative credentials.

Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) agreed that the plan would boost the PFP's legislative campaign.

But Chou said the party still needs to assess the feasibility of the proposal, as it may not be consistent with voters' expectations of Soong.

Serving in the legislature would be a few steps down for Soong, a former provincial governor of Taiwan. He's also still considered to be a contender in the 2004 presidential race.