Costumed and bemedaled candidates sign up for polls

Costumed and shouting slogans, legislative hopefuls came out in force yesterday, the first day of five that they can register as candidates in their voting districts for the year-end legislative elections.

Registration for the sixth legislative elections scheduled for Dec. 11 are being accepted at local-level election committees until Tuesday.

The lists of nominees for at-large legislative seats and seats representing overseas Chinese are being submitted directly to the Central Election Commission (CEC) by political parties, in accordance with the commission's regulations.

The campaigns began with a bang as many would-be contenders showed up to register in costume, while the New Party's hopefuls formally registered with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).

In Taipei City, a five-member Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) team tried to piggyback on the recent Olympic hoopla by wearing fake gold medals.

Calling themselves "gold-medal warriors," the team, including legislators Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄), Kuo Cheng-liang (郭正亮), Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) and Lan Mei-chin (藍美津) -- along with Taipei City Councilor Wang Shih-chien (王世堅) -- said they were all confident of victory.

Not to be outdone, People First Party (PFP) candidates Lee Ching-an (李慶安), Pang Chien-kuo (龐 建國), Lin Yu-fang (林郁方), Lee Yung-ping (李永萍), Hsu Yuan-kuo (許淵國) and Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠) tore apart plastic bags symbolizing "unemployment and recession" to highlight their platform to boost the economy.

KMT candidate Justine Chou (周守訓) arrived barefoot but clad in a Chinese Taipei Olympic baseball team uniform.

Aboriginal DPP candidate Chen Ying (陳瑩) appeared dressed in a traditional Aboriginal costume and singing a traditional Aboriginal song.

Meanwhile, lead by New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming (郁慕明), seven of the New Party's candidates went to the KMT's headquarters in Taipei at noon to join the KMT and receive official documents from KMT officials recommending them for the elections.

The seven are: Taipei City Councilor Alex Fei (費鴻泰), Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆), Lee Sheng-feng (李勝峰), Joanna Lei (雷倩), Chen Li-ling (陳麗玲), Chen Shu-wan (陳淑婉) for Taichung City, and Lu Li-kang (盧利康).

After the seven signed the KMT forms, they, along with Yok and New Party Legislator Wu Cheng-tien (吳成典) were received by KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰).

Lien told the delegation "welcome home."

"We have waited to get these [KMT] legislative recommendations for 12 years [since the New Party was formed by KMT defectors]," Lee Sheng-feng said.