KMT evaluates party loss

As some senior KMT members raise their voices to contest their party's leadership over the party's defeat in the legislative election held on Saturday, Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), seen as one of the most promising rising stars and a possible KMT front-runner for the next presidential election, seems unlikely to emerge as the KMT's new helmsman.

One day after the legislative and local chiefs' election, Hsu Shu-puo (許舒博), a re-elected KMT legislator and a member of the party's central standing committee, has threatened to push for a power reshuffle in the party's leadership, if the party's authorities do not undertake a profound reform.

Lu Hsiu-yen (盧秀燕), a re-elected lawmaker and a KMT central standing committee member as well, even proposes to appeal for a vote of confidence in party chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) leadership.

"Unlike other young or fledgling political parties in Taiwan, the century-old KMT has a hierarchy which stands the test of time and dominates party members' political careers," said Ku Chung-hua (顧忠華), a professor of sociology at National Chengchi University.

Among those higher-up in the hierarchy, incumbent legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) seems to have the best chance of becoming the new KMT chairman, if Chairman Lien Chan steps down after the KMT's defeat.

"Except for speaker Wang who possesses substantial political influence, other KMT high-ranking officials are impressive only in appearance," Ku said. "As for Ma, he's too young and comparatively inexperienced in his political career."

Speculations have mounted that Ma might represent the KMT to run in the 2004 presidential election. But, after Saturday's election, with the KMT's poor results and declining influence, speculation is less likely to materialize.

"While the KMT emerges as the big loser of the legislative election, the People First Party (PFP) and Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) scored big," he said. "Why would PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) want to give up his possible bid for the next presidency if the PFP is able to garner so many votes this time."

It is a widely shared opinion that were constituents to make a choice between Soong and Ma, Soong's odds of winning would be higher than Ma's. Soong has more campaigning experience and he knows how to appeal to the needs of his constituents.

At a mountain hiking activity yesterday morning, Ma reiterated his intent of seeking re-election as the city mayor next year and called on the KMT to cooperate with other opposition parties after the elections.

"Despite losing seats in the Legislative Yuan, the KMT remains the largest opposition party, with no party winning a majority," Ma said. "In addition to cooperating with other opposition parties, it should continue its reforms and cultivate young and capable talent."

Analyzing what attributed to the KMT's failure at the polls, Ku said that the party's vague political ideology is much to blame.

"Unlike other parties, the KMT has not yet found a clear-cut direction to take after losing last year's presidential election," Ku said.

"What's worse, it has gone back to its old rhetoric and totems such as the party founding father, Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙), and late president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國)."

What it ignores, however, is that the public cares more about the future than about the past, and that makes it more difficult for the KMT to identify with Taiwan.