Meanwhile, Kuan was portrayed as a "real hawk" by magazines supportive of the opposition movement, in light of his tough style in dealing with the challenges from opposition activists.
In 1987, Kuan stepped down from the Taiwan Provincial Committee over allegations of vote-buying in the elections for Control Yuan members and was transferred to head the Cabinet's National Youth Commission.
But Kuan made his way back to the party organization several months later, becoming the director-general of the Department of Organizational Affairs -- the KMT's top organ in charge of election campaign planning.
He held the position for two years and during his second year in this position he was assigned to serve concurrently as the party's deputy secretary-general.
In late 1989, Kuan was removed from his position as head of the Department of Organizational Affairs over the party's fiasco in handling three elections held during that year. In what marked an end to his 13 years of service to the party, he left the position of KMT deputy secretary-general in 1990.
Kuan ran in the 1992 legislative elections and was successful. But half way through his legislative term, he accepted then president Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) offer to take over as the minister of civil service in 1994.
With Lee's nomination, Kuan became vice president of the Examination Yuan in 1996. Citing an ideological difference with the DPP, he resigned from the position soon after the KMT lost the presidential race in March 2000.
Kuan, who organized a team of volunteers to help boost publicity for Lien's campaign in 1999, is now ready to take a more important role in Lien's second presidential bid that very likely will be made in cooperation with Soong.
Another point that has raised the interest of the public now is a widely reported political feud between Kuan and Soong, started during their past service at the KMT. Are the two political foes ready to become friends?
On this question, Kuan said the conflicts between Soong and himself were played up by the press and the past does not concern him any more. Kuan said he had urged Lien to cooperate with Soong during the 2000 presidential race, but the effort was unsuccessful.
"People in my generation don't care much about personal interests and feuds. We will do our best for the best interest of the country," Kuan said.
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