Former minister of the interior Chang Po-ya's (
What kind of relationship to maintain with Chang -- becoming her ally or ignoring her, is posing a difficult question for the KMT and PFP as both parties are attempting to oust the DPP incumbent, Frank Hsieh (
"If both Chang and the KMT-PFP joint candidate are to run in the race, neither will stand a chance, and Hsieh will benefit from the situation," said KMT Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正).
Chang, who only decided to run for the mayoralty after her nomination for Examination Yuan vice president was rejected by the legislature last month, is considered a viable contender for the Kaohsiung mayoral race in light of her high profile.
Chang was the mayor of Chiayi, a legislator and head of the Department of Health before she became minister of the interior.
Despite the competition of four aspirants including PFP Vice Chairman Chang Chao-hsiung (
PFP Chairman James Soong (
"In addition to the chance of victory, the political affiliation of Chang Po-ya is another factor when deciding whether the `pan-blue' camp would throw its support behind her," said PFP heavyweight and Legislator Liu Sung-pan (
Chang, an influential figure from a local political faction in Chiayi City, used to maintain a friendly relationship with both the "pan-blue" and "pan-green" camps.
Soong had invited her to become his running mate in the 2000 presidential election, but the plan did not work out.
She accepted President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁)offer to join the DPP government two years ago, but her relationship with the DPP turned sour after last month's confirmation vote for the Examination Yuan nomination, in which she blamed the DPP for not working hard enough to support her.
Her rivalry with the DPP convinced her to run against Hsieh and sought the support of the "pan-blue" camp for her candidacy.
While Chang's factional re-sources are attractive to the "pan-blue" camp, which is seeking to beat Chen in the 2004 presidential race, some have doubted if these resources would be transferred to the "pan-blue" camp just because Chang decided to run under the "pan-blue" banner in the Kaohsiung mayoral race.
Also, the KMT would face problems persuading the party's three aspirants to drop their bids and convincing its core supporters to get behind the selected candidate if it were to nominate someone outside the KMT and PFP for Kaohsiung mayor.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
The long-awaited Taichung aquarium is expected to open next year after more than a decade of development. The building in Cingshui District (清水) is to feature a large ocean aquarium on the first floor, coral display area on the second floor, a jellyfish tank and Dajia River (大甲溪) basin display on the third, a river estuary display and restaurant on the fourth, and a cafe and garden on the fifth. As it is near Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港), many are expecting the opening of the aquarium to bring more tourism to the harbor. Speaking at the city council on Monday, Taichung City Councilor
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese