KMT-PFP pact in trouble again

While a huge rift is developing over the KMT and PFP's cooperation plans for the Kaohsiung mayoral race, political analysts predict the opposition camp's alliance will not only be a fantasy but also break the KMT into pieces.

Chairmen from the KMT and the PFP, Lien Chan (連戰) and James Soong (宋楚瑜), have reiterated the importance of cooperating together to turn around their devastating loss in the 2000 presidential election.

But the complicated structure of the KMT threatens to divide the party.

"Aiming at the 2004 presidential election, Lien Chan and James Soong will try their best to cooperate for every position. Reviewing past cooperation, the PFP follows Soong's decisions completely, but that's not the case for the KMT," said Chin Heng-wei (金恆煒), the editor in chief of Contemporary Monthly.

Chin explained that the KMT is a much more complicated party. The interests of local factions differ from the leadership at the top and Lien's decisions can't be implemented completely. Many party members also complain that Lien has been compromising too much with the PFP. During last year's local government elections, the KMT compromised on the nomination for Taipei County commissioner, in which the KMT was persuaded by the PFP to support independent candidate Wang Jian-chuan, who lost the election.

In June, four KMT legislators failed to boycott a confirmation vote for Examination Yuan chiefs, making the two parties' cooperation plans a failure.

Following the event, the KMT kicked out two legislators and suspended two other legislators. Many believe the case is another sign of the two parties' inability to cooperate in the future.

The two parties are also facing another problem. Lien has been convinced by Soong to give up the KMT's choice in the Kaohsiung mayoral election, Huang Jun-ying (黃俊英), in favor of independent candidate Chang Po-ya (張博雅).

Soong convinced Lien to back Chang by arguing that the PFP has been compromising on many positions, such as the candidate for the Taipei mayoral election and the Legislative Yuan speaker and vice speaker elections.

But KMT members don't agree, saying the Taipei mayoral race shouldn't be counted since the PFP has no competent candidate to field anyway.

"Our chairman Lien is a really nice individual and doesn't know how to turn down people's requests," said Shyu Jong-shyong (徐中雄). "We have compromised with the PFP so much that there should at least be a bottom line."

Shyu said supporting Chang Po-ya means that the KMT has given up hope for the 2004 presidential election. "We will lose all of the votes in the south," Shyu said.

Liao Da-chi (廖達琪), a political scientist at National Sun Yat-sen University who will serve as publicity strategist for Huang's campaign, said Lien's decision is obviously opposed at the local level.

"We have campaigned for Huang over the past couple of months. If the KMT compromises to support independent candidate Chang Po-ya, what do the high-ranking leaders expect us to do?" Liao said. "The KMT will face the danger of collapsing."

Chin Heng-wei, meanwhile, predicted that Lien and Soong's pact will not be able to win back power during the 2004 presidential election, but it will give the KMT a chance to reorganize for a better future after Lien steps down from his post.