Lin Jih-jia expected to join TSU

Outgoing independent lawmaker Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉), who was twice kicked out of the KMT for seeking elected office two times without the party's endorsement, is expected to join the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) today.

Lin, 43, will concurrently serve as the TSU's deputy secretary-general and the party's legislative office director, TSU Chairman Huang Chu-wen (黃主文) told the Taipei Times last night.

Calling Lin a good, long-time friend, Huang said the outgoing independent lawmaker's decision to join the party is an isolated incident. "We are aren't expecting people from other parties to join the TSU anytime soon," he said.

The newly formed party is slated to announce Lin's membership this morning when former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) holds another orientation session for the TSU's 13 legislator-elects.

A four-term lawmaker with a squeaky-clean image and record, Lin is expected to help neutralize worries that the TSU's freshman lawmakers have little legislative experience.

"Come to the TSU headquarters tomorrow and you will learn more about the matter," TSU spokesman Shu Chin-chiang (蘇進強) said in a telephone interview last night.

Lin could not be reached before press time to comment about his intentions and aides maintained they knew nothing about the issue.

On Nov 2, Lin was expelled from the KMT for a second time after he registered to run in the Dec. 1 elections as an independent.

Though he led all contenders in a number of opinion polls, he failed in his bid to retain the seat, which represents Taipei County's first district.

KMT legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) said she was not surprised by Lin's apparent decision to join the TSU.

"Lin has always been a Lee supporter," Hung said. "He has repeatedly spoiled KMT candidates' chances at the polls."

In 1997, Lin broke ranks with the KMT to mount am independent challenge for Taipei County commissioner and was blamed for the party's narrow defeat in that campaign. He later rejoined the then-ruling party.

The independent lawmaker had originally planned to make a second attempt for the commissioner's seat but decided to change his mind after losing to the New Party's Wang Chien-shien (王建火宣) in an opinion poll in early September.

The poll was a cross-party scheme to reduce public and party resistance to a joint opposition bid to wrest Taiwan's most powerful and populous county from the ruling party's control.

After the poll, Lin said he would never again seek public office and would quit politics.

But he changed his mind and joined the legislative race after the KMT wrapped up its nominating process.