Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Yao-chang (徐耀昌) yesterday announced his intention to contest the Miaoli County Commissioner election next year, but said he may run as an independent candidate, rather than on the KMT’s ticket.
Speaking outside the Toufen Elementary School in Miaoli’s Toufen Township (頭份), Hsu said he hoped that the coming Lunar New Year would inspire everyone to look toward the new year while bearing the experiences of the past in mind.
The legislator made the remarks in front of a billboard put up by the school featuring Hsu on the left, a map of the county on the right and the words: “Happy New Year” in the center.
Hsu was accompanied by his wife, Tsai Li-ching (蔡麗卿), members of this team and the heads of Toufen, Sanwan (三灣), Nanjhuang (南庄) and Zaociao (造橋), as well as Miaoli County Councilor Luo Hsueh-chu (羅雪珠).
Toufen Village Warden Hsu Ting-chen (徐定禎) said that the KMT legislator would be capable of expediting development in the county as he has a lot of experience and knows the area well, since hails from the north of Miaoli.
When asked what his political plans were and if he intended to work with other politicians or the pan-green parties, Hsu Yao-chang said that he had not thought so far ahead and wanted to concentrate on the present.
However, others close to the lawmaker said that he was leaning toward participating in the election as an independent candidate, adding that he has not decided who would be his running mate.
Hsu Yao-chang’s KMT membership was suspended after he was given a nine-year prison sentence by the Taipei District Court in July last year for illegal profiteering.
Hsu Yao-chang said he is innocent of all charges and plans to file an appeal the ruling, which he is certain will succeed.
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