PFP official warns `black gold' may hurt blue camp

PFP Vice Chairman Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄) warned yesterday that unless the KMT sheds its "black gold" image once and for all, cooperation between it and the PFP will not guarantee future electoral success.

"The purpose of KMT and PFP cooperation is to win elections and to lead people away from the dire straits in which they currently find themselves," Chang said at a PFP orientation meeting held at the party's headquarters for its newly elected Taipei and Kaohsiung city councilors. "But, if the KMT cannot face up to `black gold,' even cooperation with the PFP will not guarantee electoral success."

KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) announced on Saturday that they will join forces and field a joint ticket for the 2004 presidential election.

"If the KMT does not reform its `black-gold' practices, it will find itself constantly challenged by the DPP on corruption," Chang said, citing examples of corruption cases alleged to involve KMT officials, including the Zanadau scandal.

Stressing his complete support for KMT-PFP cooperation, Chang said the two parties need to work on internal reform before implementing plans for cooperation.

"We, the PFP, cannot deceive ourselves and ignore our performance in the recent Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral and city councilor elections," Chang said.

"By the same token, the KMT has no cause for conceit, since, apart from the landslide victory of Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), the KMT did not do so well either in the Taipei City councilor elections or in the Kaohsiung mayoral and city councilor elections," he said.