The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday nominated more candidates for the year-end local elections and approved a joint pledge requiring all candidates vying for next month*s party positions to run a clean campaign.
KMT Spokesman Lee Chien-rong (軝呤蝝) told reporters after yesterday*s weekly Central Standing Committee meeting that the party finalized the third wave of nominations for the year-end elections.
Former legislator Chang Li-shan (翴淜鉏) will run in Yunlin County, Penghu County Commissioner Wang Chien-fa (魦呠菕) will seek re-election in Penghu County and Kinmen County Councilor Lee Wuo-shi (軝隤痹) will seek the county*s top position.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUN, TAIPEI TIMES
The party will not nominate anyone in Lienchiang County (盓阭), but instead agreed to let Lin Hui-kuan (釱?巹), chairman of Matsu Liquor Factory Industry Co, Ltd, and Yang Suei-sheng (暩漞蛺), director of Beigan Health Office in Matsu, compete to become chief of the islands.
Lienchiang County is the official administrative title for the Matsu archipelago.
The committee meeting also approved a joint pledge and asked all candidates running in next month*s party elections to sign it.
The seven-point pledge asks the candidates not to say or do anything to damage the party*s reputation or unity. Candidates cannot attack each other during the election period and cannot establish or participate in any alliance to exchange votes.
Nor can they provide free meals, gifts, offer money or engage in any other inappropriate activities to secure election.
Aspirants cannot hold social activities or attend any privately held ones. They cannot demonstrate, protest or engage in any violent or irrational means to influence campaign activities or voting procedures. On the day of the voting, they cannot provide any services to transport voters to polling stations.
Meanwhile, outgoing KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (趠詍磡) yesterday launched a new book to celebrate his 70th birthday.
President Ma Ying-jeou (堜褙朐), who visited Wu at party headquarters, thanked Wu for his contribution to the party and cross-strait relations, saying his effort to establish the communication channel between the KMT and Chinese Communist Party outweighed helping the party win legislative and presidential elections.
※He always provides critical 〝assistance at the most critical time,§ Ma said. ※He is an important asset and there will be many opportunities to rely on him for support.§
As Wu*s son, John Wu (趠礞敻), is interested in running in the Taoyuan County commissioner election, Ma said it would become a much-told tale if Wu*s son gets elected because Wu Poh-hsiung once served as Taoyuan commissioner.
The KMT will not finalize the candidate for Taoyuan County 〝until the next wave of nominations.
Wu Poh-hsiung yesterday said that Ma, who is the only candidate for the chairmanship election, was set to take over the party*s helm.
The outgoing chairman called for unity, saying he hoped his decision to not seek re-election would set an example for other party members competing for party nominations in local elections.
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