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PFP Legislator Liu apologizes to Ma, announces his bid

People First Party (PFP) Legislator Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄) apologized yesterday for having previously criticized former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and announced his intention to run in the upcoming Keelung by-election.

Liu, who had also criticized the late Hsu Tsai-li (許財利) -- to whom he lost the 2005 Keelung mayoral election -- made his apologies while attending Hsu's funeral.

"I want to apologize to Mr. Ma for hurting him with harsh words during the [2005] election and I hope to become a model adherent of the KMT-PFP cooperation mechanism," Liu said, adding that he would formally declare his candidacy in the Keelung by-election today.

Liu had demanded an apology from Ma after the Keelung District Court sentenced Hsu to seven years in prison on Sept. 19 last year for trying to use his position to sell a plot of land to the Keelung City Government's bus department. At the time, Liu said that "citizens of Keelung were deceived by Hsu and Ma into thinking that Hsu would be a good mayor."

Hsu died last month at the age of 60 from complications caused by chronic heart disease and diabetes.The by-election will be held on May 12.

Liu's announcement divided the pan-blue camp, as the KMT has already nominated Keelung City Council Speaker Chang Tong-rong (張通榮) as its candidate for the now vacant position.

KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said the party would hold a meeting with the PFP on Wednesday in the hope of agreeing on a single candidate.

"We will consider residents' needs and what they want from a mayor before the meeting. The pan-blue camp must win the by-election, and our primary aim is to select the candidate with the best chance of winning," Wu said.

Chang, however, said he would enter the by-election regardless of the outcome of Wednesday's meeting.
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