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Rumors fly of Ma-Wang spat in KMT

Speculation mounted yesterday on possible tensions between the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) two 2008 presidential hopefuls over the party's plan to change its nomination system for at-large legislators.

Under the KMT's nomination system, the list of legislator-at-large nominees is decided by a nine-seat committee appointed by the party chairman. The committee's nominees must receive a vote of confidence from the party's 210-seat Central Committee.

KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday confirmed media reports that the party has been considering a change to this system ahead of next year's legislative elections.

"We are planning to have the legislator-at-large nominees selected by the party's local representatives, which is a more democratic method than the current one," Ma said.

The Chinese-language United Daily News reported yesterday that the changes were directed at Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who secured the first nomination for a KMT at-large legislative seat.

But Wang played down the report, saying that such talk aimed to damage relations between the two party bigwigs.

"I don't think that the changes are directed at me. But if they are, I wouldn't be the only one they are directed at," Wang said yesterday when asked to comment on the changes.

Wang, touted as a possible presidential candidate for 2008, added that he had many options besides another campaign for a legislative seat.

"As party chairman, of course I would like to choose the legislator-at-large nominees myself. But since that is not democratic, we have to have a new system that allows more people to participate in the nomination," Ma said.
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