Jacky Wu decides to bow out of legislative election

TV variety show host Jacky Wu (吳宗憲) announced yesterday that he has decided against running for legislator-at-large in December's elections, citing his mother's opposition.

But Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (NPSU, 無黨團結聯盟) Secretary-General Chen Chieh-ju (陳傑儒) said yesterday that Wu had changed his mind out of consideration for his entertainment career, because some "upstairs" individuals at a television station warned that Wu's "stage would be dismantled" if he decided to enter politics.

Chen said his party fully understood the awkward position Wu had been placed in following the earlier announcement of his intention to be a candidate.

Chen said he regretted that Wu, who enjoys a high level of popularity, would not join the NPSU as a legislative candidate, but that the party respected Wu's decision.

Wu -- whom the newly-formed NPSU announced last Friday would run under its banner -- declared while in Beijing that he would not get involved in politics.

He said that because of his mother's strong opposition, he had decided against being a candidate. He dismissed accusations in the media that he was an opportunist who had gone back on his word, saying his critics had taken his words out of context.