Two of Taipei's KMT legislative candidates yesterday launched a movement which will push for cooperation between the KMT and DPP "to rescue Taiwan."
Lawmaker Chen Horng-chi (
But KMT Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正) reacted to the move by reiterating that the party will not discuss the issue of political cooperation before the election.
Lin added that, even if the party is to cooperate with another party after the elections, it will pick one whose ideology is "close to the KMT's."
Lin said the proposal put forth by the two politicians is their "personal opinion."
According to Lin, the two candidates probably started the movement because their support bases overlap with those of their DPP competitors and that this situation probably poses a threat to their campaigns.
Chen Horng-chi and Chen Hsueh-fen are running for legislative seats in the Taipei II and Taipei I constituencies, respectively. They proposed the alliance idea in an advertisement published in a local newspaper yesterday.
They urged people to show their support for the proposal by joining a rally which will be held on Nov. 25 at the square in front of the Presidential Office.
Chen Horng-chi told reporters that the ad aims to remind political leaders to restrain their use of abusive campaign language during the run-up to the election, saying such language may damage any chances of reconciliation and negotiation after the elections.
"Taiwan's only chance at survival lies in getting the two largest parties -- the KMT and DPP -- work together to form a `super-stable Cabinet.' Only a strong government can resist the Chinese communists' intimidation tactics, tackle the economic crisis and restore the public's faith in government," the two candidates argue in the ad.
They say it is generally predicted that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) will ally with the TSU -- led by former President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) -- after the elections. Likewise, KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) will probably team up with former party stalwart and now PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜).
The two rival political camps are vying for the right to form the the next Cabinet, and the outcome may be decided by only a marginal one-seat difference, according to the two candidates.
"Can such a `Cabinet of chance' work? Will the defeated camp accept the outcome willingly? It will only result in crazy, vicious struggles and irrational acts of revenge," they said.
PFP Chairman James Soong yesterday said that he was "not surprised" to hear such a proposal, as DPP Secretary-general Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) has already disclosed that around 10 KMT politicians will resign from the party and join the DPP after the election results are formalized.
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