Eight-term KMT lawmaker Hung Chao-nan (洪昭男) yesterday officially announced his decision to quit the party, despite a flurry of KMT efforts to persuade him to stay.
With his announcement, Hung mailed his KMT membership identification to KMT Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正) to show his firm resolve to leave.
Hung would not state whether he was preparing to join another party, saying he needed to give due consideration to the path to take in the future.
"During the process of the country's democratic development, I have never been absent and have participated and promoted positive change. I've been a firm KMT reformist and have always been a politician with a good image," Hung stated.
Hung intended the move to be a protest action after his bid for the position of executive director to the party's Policy Committee was rejected.
"Taking a glimpse backward," Hung said, "I discovered that I've come to the end of the road. With my battle lost, the only thing I can do is to look for a way out and leave the party," Hung added.
James Chen (陳健治), director-general of the KMT's Organization and Development Committee, said he would continue to communicate with Hung to try to persuade him to change his mind.
Chen said that the party will try its best to maintain its stable of talent.
While the leader positions of the committee are usually filled by senior lawmakers, the position of executive director became vacant after Hong Yuh-chin (
Hung has served as a deputy executive director of the committee for many years and has expressed a keen interest and strong desire to take over as executive director.
However, instead of appointing Hung to succeed Hong, the party is planning to offer the position to Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權).
Hung said he deserves the position in light of his seniority.
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