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Lien supporters mobilize

A group of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers yesterday launched a signature campaign calling on former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) to resume chairmanship of the party, which they say is aimed at avoiding possible division of the party.

Lien is the only member of the party with the capabilities to coordinate the activities surrounding the presidential candidacy, said KMT Legislator Hsu Shu-po (許舒博), who initiated the drive.

"We will meet Lien [when he returns to Taiwan from his Lunar New Year vacation] at the airport on Friday [tomorrow] and present him with the petition," Hsu said.

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and former KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) are seeking the KMT spot for next year's presidential race, although Wang has yet to officially announce his presidential bid.

The Wang camp has complained that under Ma's chairmanship, activities relating to the party's presidential nomination were slanted in Ma's favor.

After Ma resigned as KMT chairman following his indictment on corruption charges, Acting Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) became the Ma camp's preferred candidate to take over the chairmanship, while Wang has favored a Lien comeback.

"The party was agitated by Ma's resignation as chairman and was caught unawares. At this moment in time, we need a person of virtue and prestige who is willing to give anything to handle what comes next ... and that would be Lien Chan," the petition read.

But some KMT members, mostly pro-Ma lawmakers, disapproved of the suggestion.

"The adoption of a direct membership ballot to choose party chairman was established under Lien's chairmanship," KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) said.

"To have Lien return to that position through a private deal would not reflect well on his person," he added.

But the plan to ask Lien to take over the position has sparked a debate on whether the party should risk violating election mechanisms to find, in a non-democratic way, a new leader.

The KMT's central standing committee yesterday decided that the party will hold a by-election to select a new chairman on April 7.

KMT central standing committee member Yao Chiang-lin (姚江臨) declined to say if he will sign the petition, but added that Lien would have to run for the party's primary in order to take over the chairmanship.

"Chairman Lien's reputation is undoubtedly very good, and only he can help negotiations between Ma and Wang. But he must also follow party regulations," he said.

KMT Legislator Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順) agreed that Lien was the best candidate to act as a bridge between Ma and Wang on the issue of the presidential nomination and said she would sign the petition.

KMT Legislator Shuai Hua-min (帥化民), however, disagreed with the proposal.

"I don't think it's a good plan to invite long-serving members back to lead the party," he said.

In response to Lien's possible return as party chairman, Wu Poh-hsiung said his current priority was to promote KMT unity and added that he would not want to compete with Lien.

"We are old friends, and it would be inconceivable for both of us to join the election and become rivals," he said.

Lien, who is on vacation in Australia until tomorrow, made no comment in response to the proposal.

KMT members interested in becoming chairman will have the opportunity to become candidates if they manage to collect, from March 9 through March 18, the signatures at least 3 percent of party members.

If there are more than two candidates, the party will arrange televised debates in which the candidates present their platforms.

Those would be held from March 28 through April 6.

An inauguration ceremony will be held for the new chairman on April 11.
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