Former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday said that he has not ruled out joining the legislative race “if it is helpful for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).”
Meanwhile, his confirmation of the party’s intention to enlist pop star Selina Jen’s (任家萱) husband, Richard Chang (張承中), as a legislative candidate turned out to be a damp squib, as Chang declined.
Hau said that next year’s presidential and legislative elections would be a tough fight for the KMT and that the party is considering a range of possible strategies.
“I’ve been advised a lot, including on how to support other candidates or on becoming a legislative candidate myself in Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung or Keelung. I don’t mind joining the race, but it needs comprehensive consideration. Provided that it would be beneficial to the party as a whole, I would seriously consider the possibility,” Hau said.
Regarding the KMT’s reported plan to field Chang — who is also the son of former New Party legislator Chang Shih-liang (張世良) — as its legislative candidate in Taipei against Democratic Progressive Party incumbent Pasuya Yao (姚文智), Hau confirmed that the KMT approached Richard Chang about it, saying that his initial response was positive.
“[Richard Chang] is a loyal KMT member and we can be sure that he is not against running,” Hau said.
However, later yesterday, Richard Chang clarified on Facebook that he is not a KMT member and has no party affiliation, and that Hau is a long-time family friend.
“Becoming a candidate might be a chance to do good, but it is also a war detrimental to a person’s integrity,” he said. “I [said I] would consider the offer, as it means [the party leaders] have a good opinion of me.”
“However, I tend to be more reserved, seeing how it has developed. If I am drafted by [the KMT] in next week’s Central Standing Committee meeting, I could do nothing but kindly turn it down,” he said.
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