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Soong turned down KMT gong: PFP whip

"I can't verify the report, nor can I assess the possibility. I can't comment ? The contribution Soong has made to Taiwan is undeniable. The KMT wishes to have closer cooperation with such an excellent political leader."

Wu Den-yih, KMT secretary-general

People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) has turned down an invitation from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to be the party's honorary chairman after their merger, PFP legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅崑萁) said yesterday.

Fu said KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) asked him to pass the invitation on to Soong, but that he had immediately rejected the invitation on behalf of Soong. He said he had gained approval for the action from Soong afterwards.

"[Soong] is not looking for a position. What he cares about is pushing through the KMT-PFP merger and helping the pan-blue camp to win the presidential election," Fu said.

Fu made the remarks in response to a report in the Chinese-language China Times yesterday.

KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), however, refused to confirm the story.

"I can't verify the report, nor can I assess the possibility. I can't comment ? The contribution Soong has made to Taiwan is undeniable. The KMT wishes to have closer cooperation with such an excellent political leader," Wu said.

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said yesterday he wished Soong had accepted the invitation.

Following his ignominious defeat in the Taipei mayoral election last December, Soong said he would quit Taiwanese politics.

At a separate setting yesterday, KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) denied hearing any news about Soong's possible return to the party, and refused to comment on the matter.

"This is just an assumption, and I've never thought about it [Soong's return]. I'd love to see a merger of the two parties, but we will have to discuss the details," Ma said during a visit to Hsinchu County.

Soong was ousted from the KMT for his decision to run his own campaign as an independent in the 2000 presidential election against then KMT nominee Lien Chan (連戰). Soong obtained 36 percent of the vote while Lien came third with 23 percent of the vote.

Soong founded the PFP in March 2000 after his failed presidential bid. The PFP, which boasted 46 lawmakers in 2001, saw its strength in the legislature decline to 34 in the 2004 election and weaken even further to 22 last year after some legislators deserted the party for the KMT.

The PFP's fortunes have been on the wane since Soong lost the 2004 presidential election as Lien's running mate and then finished a distant third in last year's Taipei mayoral election, picking up only 4.14 percent of the votes cast.

Additional reporting by Mo Yan-chih
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