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Ma mum on talk with ex-TSU boss

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday downplayed his meeting with former Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) chairman Shu Chin-chiang (蘇進強), declining to comment on Shu's referral to him as "the president-to-be."

"It was a polite title. Shu was very polite to me and I appreciated that he was willing to discuss issues with me," Ma said yesterday when approached for comment.

Ma met Shu in private on Tuesday in Kaohsiung during a visit to the office of the Chinese-language Taiwan Times, where Shu serves as president.

According to a report in the Chinese-language United Daily News, Shu called Ma "the president-to-be" during the meeting and called on the south to support the presidential candidate who would do the right thing for the nation.

LEE TENG-HUI

The report said that Shu told Ma that former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) did not necessarily support the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Ma said yesterday that Shu encouraged him to put greater effort into fighting for the nation's future.

Ma declined to disclose further details about his conversation with Shu, adding that he had no immediate plans to visit Lee.

Ma's spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said that Ma would continue to communicate with people with differing opinions and political views.

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said yesterday he approved of Ma taking the initiative to meet Shu because every vote is worth fighting for.

KMT Legislator Kuo Su-chun (郭素春) said she was gladdened to hear that Shu considered Ma "almost the president."

"Shu's remarks indicate that the TSU has finally realized that Ma is the one who can bring happiness to the Taiwanese people," she said.

REPORT DISMISSED

The TSU, however, yesterday dismissed the media report that the meeting between Shu and Ma indicated that the TSU endorsed Ma.

TSU Spokeswoman Chou Mei-li (周美里) told a press conference that Shu was no longer a TSU official and therefore could not speak on behalf of the TSU or the party's spiritual leader Lee.

TSU caucus whip Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) added that Shu met with Ma in his capacity as a media member and not as a former TSU chairman.

Lee yesterday dismissed Shu's comments, saying Shu no longer represented him or the party.

Any comment made by Shu had nothing to do with him, Lee said.

When approached by reporters, Shu dismissed the United Daily News report.

Shu said yesterday that he had never made any such comment, adding that Tuesday's meeting with Ma was to conduct an interview.

Shu also said he had not called Ma "the president-to-be." Shih said he had only addressed him as "[former KMT] chairman Ma."

Shu lashed out at the United Daily News, accusing it of violating professionalism and journalistic ethics.

When approached for comment yesterday, DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh shrugged off the report, saying that Shu always called him "the president."

Additional reporting by Shih Hsiu-chuan and Ko Shu-ling
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