Cabinet Secretary-General Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) yesterday dismissed speculation that he would represent the DPP in a run against popular Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in the year-end mayoral race.
Feverish rumors that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) now favor Lee to challenge Ma have swept through the party in recent days.
"I'm afraid there's nothing to talk about, although it's an interesting topic," Lee said yesterday. "Frankly, I've never thought about it, nor is it of any concern to me right now."
Lee made the remarks yesterday afternoon during a chat with the media at the Executive Yuan.
Other potential candidates include DPP lawmaker Mark Chen (陳唐山), Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (陳定南) and Chairwoman of the Council for Hakka Affairs Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭).
Commenting on the rumors, Lee likened it to the lottery, which has created a guessing frenzy across the nation. "It's like the lottery in which everybody is obsessed with guessing what the lucky numbers will be," he said.
Lee added that neither the president nor the chairman has been in contact with him to discuss the matter. "There is so much talent within the party. I believe that the final candidates will win both the Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral races," he said.
Mark Chen, with eight years under his belt as a Tainan County commissioner, also dismissed su-ggestions that he might represent the party in the Taipei mayoral election.
"The idea has never crossed my mind," he said.
When asked whether he was interested in running, he failed to give a definite answer. "We'll talk about it when the president asks me about the matter," he said.
Chen Ding-nan, who was Ilan County Commissioner for eight years, reiterated his disinterest in running in the mayoral race.
"Personal willingness is very important in the matter. I believe the authorities concerned will respect my personal decision," he said.
Chen Ding-nan has repeatedly said that he has no interest in the race, as it might have an adverse impact on the health of his wife, who suffered a stroke four years ago. The issue gained added significance after Secretary-General to the President Chen Shih-meng (
Meanwhile, Lee came to the defense of Yen Ching-chang (顏慶章), Taiwan's first representative to the WTO, who has come under fire after he reportedly proposed spending NT$500 million on purchasing a residence in Geneva. The proposal, however, was later denied by the Cabinet.
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