President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday attended a luncheon with Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) to show his support for Hau’s re-election bid in December’s Taipei mayoral race.
Ma, in his capacity as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman, brushed off speculation that the pan-blue camp wants former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) — a Taipei mayoral election hopeful — to win so that he would not run against Ma in the 2012 presidential election.
“Come on! Of course I will give him [Hau] my full support … there’s no doubt that Mayor Hau will be a great candidate,” Ma said when asked to comment on the speculation.
PHOTO: CHIEN JUNG-FONG, TAIPEI TIMES
Su on Wednesday announced his intention to run in the election, making him Hau’s most powerful rival. Su denied speculation that he was aiming for the presidential race and would be using the mayoral election to increase his momentum.
Elections for the heads of five special municipalities will take place in Taipei City, Sinbei City (新北市, the upgraded Taipei County), Greater Taichung (a merger of Taichung City and Taichung County), Greater Tainan (a merger of Tainan City and Tainan County) and Greater Kaohsiung (a merger of Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County).
Sinbei City will be the largest administrative district nationwide by population and the outcome of the election there will be an important indicator of the 2012 presidential election.
Hau’s father, former premier and veteran KMT member Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村), also attended the luncheon organized by the Veterans Affairs Commission yesterday.
He urged the pan-blue camp to unite to win in December.
The KMT initiated its nomination mechanism for the elections last week and will choose its candidates via negotiations or polls in May or June.
Seeking to strengthen support from veterans, Ma yesterday said he would work to resolve recent disputes over veterans’ bonuses.
The Control Yuan has ordered the Ministry of National Defense to review the year-end bonus awarded to retired military officials, forcing it to cut the amount.
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