Despite the move from the KMT to clear Soong's name, Soong will continue to have a tarnished image and that will continue to harm Soong's political career, Chin said.
"The KMT's act to exonerate Soong from the embezzlement allegations serves more as a minus than a plus for Soong," he said. "By re-introducing talk about the Chung Hsing Bills Finance scandal, it only again reminds the public of Soong's lack of integrity.
"Suspicions surrounding Soong won't go away just because the KMT chose to play the judge itself and dropped allegations against Soong," Chin said. "Until the case makes its way through the judicial system, people in society will continue to doubt Soong's integrity."
Chiu added that since the judicial process is still ongoing, the goodwill gesture from the KMT would most likely serve as a consolation to Soong but not enough to ameliorate Soong's tarnished image.
Chiu added that Wednesday's episode also demonstrated that KMT-PFP cooperation has so far been confined to a power-exchange gesture that's not "party-to-party" but "person-to-person," involving Lien and Soong.
Lien and Soong are expected to meet after the Lunar New Year holidays for further talks on KMT-PFP cooperation in relation to the 2004 election.
"They surely will have a lot to talk about," Chiu said, adding that even if Lien and Soong do somehow manage to reach a consensus as to who will head the ticket and who will be the running mate, party members would then start to weigh in and generate more debates before KMT-PFP come up with an actual ticket for the 2004 presidential election.
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