Reportedly the “ace pitcher” for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to win the presidential election, central bank Governor Perng Fai-nan (彭淮南) yesterday reiterated that his current job would be his last as a public servant.
Perng made the remarks in a one-sentence statement issued by the central bank after the Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that New Taipei City Mayor and KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) has recently made frequent visits to Perng to persuade him to represent the party in the presidential election.
“Governor Perng explicitly said when he answered questions from lawmakers at the meeting of the legislature’s Finance Committee on March 10, 2011, that the position would be his last public job,” the statement said.
Before the statement was issued, Perng was approached by reporters from TV news channel ETTV outside his residence early yesterday morning.
“I have not yet read the newspaper,” Perng said, according to ETTV.
Saying that Perng is both a mentor and a friend, Chu confirmed that he often consulted Perng, but did not know “where the rumor came from.”
Chu praised Perng, who has been awarded an “A” rating 11 times by Global Finance magazine, which grades central bankers annually on an “A” to “F” scale, for his international reputation and non-partisanship.
Asked whether he considered Perng a suitable candidate for the KMT’s presidential nomination, Chu said he rather not answer the question during the party’s presidential primary registration period that is scheduled to run through May 16.
“I believe he is held in high esteem by lots of people,” Chu said.
Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), her party’s presidential candidate, declined to comment on the Perng stories.
“There are reports about a new person almost daily, but for us, it is more important to prepare for the election at our own pace,” she said.
Additional reporting by Loa Iok-sin
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