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Wang's survival after legislative election at end of year becomes hot political topic

Incumbent Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng's (王金平) survival through the legislative election at the end of the year has become a hot topic among politicians.

Criticism

Wang, who also serves as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) deputy chairman, has attracted criticism for participating in the pan-blue camp's protest rallies after the election.

Furthermore, the pan-green camp has showed a strong intention to produce a speaker of its own if it captures the majority of seats in the legislative election.

It is rumored that former premier and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) may register as a legislator-at-large and may compete for the speakership.

Candidates

Incumbent DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) and New Tide stalwart Hong Chi-chang (洪奇昌) are two other possible candidates.

Yesterday the TSU caucus also expressed its disappointment in Wang and voiced strong support for a new legislative speaker who identifies with Taiwan's localized consciousness.

TSU caucus whip Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) said that Wang had not focused on his role as speaker in the past six months and most of the time functioned only as KMT deputy chairman.

"After the Lien-Soong ticket lost the election, Wang Jin-pyng should have acted in his position as legislative speaker to resolve the conflict between the two camps, but he chose to follow the lead of KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and People First Party [PFP] Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜). He did not shoulder the responsibility for reform within the KMT, either," Chen said.

Own speaker

"If the pan-green camp manages to win the majority of seats in the legislature in December, then we can choose our own speaker," Chen said.

Chen also approved of the possible choice of Chang Chun-hsiung, but said it would be up to the DPP to decide.

On the other hand, the pan-blue camp yesterday showed its full support for Wang by declaring that all pan-blue politicians are united behind him.

KMT Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正) and director of the PFP's Center for Policy Research Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀) yesterday held a press conference to reiterate the pan-blue camp's solidarity and support for Wang.

"Mr. Lien and Mr. Soong always worked closely with Wang Jin-pyng and he has their full support. It is pointless for outsiders to try to damage the relationship between them," Lin said.

"The KMT-PFP alliance would unite and consolidate its might in the legislator election," Chang said.

Wang, meanwhile, said that he did not care very much about status and power.

Focus

"Right now my focus will be how to ease the legislative procedure. What happens in the future is better left till after the legislative election," Wang said.

"I do not care about status, but if there is still a chance for me, I will work harder to serve the public," Wang said.

Wang also denied that the pan-green camp had invited him to switch parties, although he admitted talking to former President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) on the telephone after the results of the presidential election were announced on March 20.

"I exchanged only a few sentences with former president Lee and he mainly wanted to know how I felt about losing the [election] battle," Wang said.

He said that he did not feel particularly sad about losing and even if the pan-blue camp had won, he would not feel particularly happy either.

He described himself as "tranquil as still waters."
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