However, Chen kept up the pressure to woo Siew and appointed him as vice chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Conference (EDAC), a gathering of eminent politicians, academics and businessmen, in August last year.
Despite his regular denials of a desire to leave the KMT, Siew's attendance in December at a gathering of the Taiwan Advocates -- a political advisory group established by former president Lee -- renewed talk that Siew would leave the former ruling party to join the "pan-green" alliance.
Siew's apparent dual loyalty -- both to the KMT and its former leader Lee -- has endeared him to few in and outside the party.
Though his words and deeds made him few friends, Siew insists he is acting purely on conscience and for the good of the nation.
"I'm willing to be the crow that caws over the KMT's problems for the sake of the party," Siew said.
Siew has repeatedly affirmed that he will advocate KMT-DPP cooperation on economic matters, despite the insult from the DPP's Wu.
"`National interests first' is the stand that I always take. I will do anything that is beneficial for the nation and the people," he said.
RSS