Former DPP head renews campaign to stop Yu Shyi-kun

With tomorrow's Democratic Progressive Party chairmanship by-election fast approaching, former DPP chairman Lin I-hsiung (林義雄) yesterday again expressed his opposition to former Presidential Office secretary-general Yu Shyi-kun, one of three candidates for the post.

Lin said that he was recently visited by Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), who told him even he would not support Yu. Lin said Hsieh will vote for one of the other two candidates, DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) and former Changhua County commissioner Wong Chin-chu (翁金珠), depending on who has a better chance to win.

Hsieh has not yet commented on Lin's remarks.

"Yu has held several key positions in the government in the past and his political status was second only to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). But I feel sorry that Yu did not deeply reflect on his responsibility for the election failure last December, yet has joined in the chairpersonship election," Lin said yesterday while visiting DPP headquarters to give his Lunar New Year greetings to DPP staff members.

Some have speculated that Chen arranged for Yu to run for the DPP chairpersonship so that maintain firm control of the party, Lin said, adding that Chen's credibility has suffered because the hearsay was never denied or clarified.

Lin went on to say that the 70-year-old Chai is too old to take on the heavy responsibility of leading the DPP, and that it would be better for him to continue on as a senior adviser to the party's new leader.

Commenting on Wong, Lin said he long ago voiced his full support for her and so there's no need to pay her more compliments.