Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) yesterday promised that the party would select a candidate who possesses integrity and offers a fresh image to represent the KMT in the Yunlin legislative by-election.
“The KMT is determined to meet society's expectations, and we hope the candidate who represents the KMT would be someone with a fresh image,” Wu told the party's Central Standing Committee at KMT headquarters yesterday.
The legislative by-election in Yunlin is scheduled to be held in October following the annulment this month of former KMT legislator Chang Sho-wen's (張碩文) victory because of vote-buying charges.
Chang's father, Chang Hui-yuan (張輝元), had registered to run in the KMT by-election primary. However, the KMT's Yunlin chapter ruled in a preliminary review on Sunday to disqualify Chang Hui-yuan because of the party's “black gold exclusion clause,” which states that members who are found guilty of corruption in the first trial cannot be nominated for any elections.
Chang Hui-yuan was found guilty in a first trial for buying votes for his son in last year's legislative election.
KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yi (吳敦義) said the KMT would continue its negotiations to choose a final candidate.
“We will continue communicating with interested members,” he said, adding: “We will not give up easily.”
Aside from Chang Hui-yuan, Wu Wei-chi (吳威志), an associate professor at Yunlin Technology University, had also registered for the primary.
Wu Poh-hsiung said that Wu Den-yi and Hsu Shu-po (許舒博), head of the KMT's Yunlin branch, would talk to Wu Wei-chi and other potential hopefuls to select a final candidate soon.
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