The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will begin the process to nominate its presidential candidate today, and is scheduled to finalize the candidate by May 18.
The KMT’s Central Standing Committee approved the nomination process yesterday, and the party will issue an official bulletin this morning.
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who doubles as KMT chairman, has indicated that he would seek a second term, and so far, there have been no signs of any challenge from within the party.
KMT Culture and Communication Committee Director Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) said if only one presidential hopeful registered to join the election, the KMT would complete the nomination process in early May.
If more than one hopeful were to register, the KMT would hold a televised debate and public poll to determine the candidate, and the process would be completed by May 18.
After approval of the nomination process, Ma will establish his presidential campaign office in late May or early June. Former KMT secretary-general King Pu-tsung (金溥聰) will serve as his campaign manager, KMT sources said.
As to Ma’s running mate, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) was said to be a likely candidate.
Various pan-blue groups have also recommended Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and former KMT chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) to be Ma’s running mate. Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) has said he would serve only one term.
The Taipei Department of Health yesterday said it has launched a probe into a restaurant at Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store after a customer died of suspected food poisoning. A preliminary investigation on Sunday found missing employee health status reports and unsanitary kitchen utensils at Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in the department store’s basement food court, the department said. No direct relationship between the food poisoning death and the restaurant was established, as no food from the day of the incident was available for testing and no other customers had reported health complaints, it said, adding that the investigation is ongoing. Later
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