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Koo mulling DPP chairmanship

Former senior presidential adviser Koo Kwang-ming (辜寬敏) is debating whether to run in the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) chairmanship election next month.

Koo’s wife, Michelle Wang (王美琇), was tight-lipped yesterday about the 82-year-old’s intentions, saying that he was assessing all factors — including his age — and that he would make a final decision in the next few days.

Wang made the remarks after Koo sent an associate to pick up a registration form when DPP headquarters opened on Monday. Registration for the chairmanship election will close on Friday. The election is scheduled to be held on May 18.

Wang said the form could have been picked up for Koo or someone else.

Speculation was rife that Koo was hoping former Presidential Office secretary-general Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟) would stand in the election. Chen, however, is not qualified to run unless the party changes the rules because he has not paid his membership fees.

In addition to 73-year-old DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮), who announced his candidacy on Monday, the younger generation is also eager to have a try.

Chang Chia-lun (張家倫), a former legislative assistant and a member of the “Sunflower Movement” initiated by the party’s young Turks, picked up a registration form yesterday morning.

Accompanied by Hsu Chun-ren (�?�), an Evaluation Committee member from the DPP’s Ilan chapter, Chang said that he and Hsu were both interested in the post and that their group could soon make a decision.

Chang invited members and non-members to offer suggestions on party reform. He proposed a cultivation program to train younger members and get them ready for Cabinet positions should the DPP return to power.

The party should also recruit young technocrats and create a think tank to offer suggestions on national policy and governance, he said. To help solve the party’s financial difficulty, Chang urged the public to donate NT$119 each in order to help save the party and the country’s democracy.

Shen Fa-hui (沈發惠), executive director of the DPP’s Policy Committee, said yesterday that the party’s younger generation would not sit idly by during the election of the new leader because that person would play a key role in the party’s future and reform efforts.

Shen said about 60 younger members would call a meeting today to discuss party affairs.

The DPP is scheduled to hold a meeting on Saturday to debate its future course. Former party chairmen, including President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), have been invited to attend.

Council of Agriculture Chairman Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) announced yesterday that he would not run for party chairman for the sake of party unity, while Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said he was not interested in the post and that he would run once more in the Taichung mayoral election.

Meanwhile, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) said the party chairmanship should be filled by someone from the “younger generation” with a good public image.

During a question-and-answer session with DPP Kaohsiung City Councilor Lin Ying-jung (林瑩蓉), Chen Chu said it would be unsuitable for “those who need to be reviewed” to run for chairperson, but did not specify who she was referring to.

“It would be wrong for aspirants to run simply because they were driven by missionary feelings or they believed without them, the party would fall,” she said, adding that the public would expect the party to elect a chairman who is tolerant of different voices.

She said the next chairman should be able to unite the party.

Additional reporting by Flora Wang


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