Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday criticized her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rival, Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), over Tsai’s refusal to take part in an election debate until all potential presidential candidates have registered.
Hung said the DPP chairperson has contradicted herself.
“It is rather interesting that before Tsai announced her presidential bid for the 2012 race, she constantly challenged President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to debate the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement [ECFA],” Hung said on the sidelines of a legislative event in Taipei.
“She was not a registered candidate at the time. Why have her opinions flipped-flopped over time? Is that not contradictory?” Hung said.
Tsai on Sunday declined Hung’s proposal for a live televised debate, saying the timing would be more appropriate after all the candidates have registered.
The DPP rejected speculation that Tsai wants a debate later in the year because she is concerned that she might be “under siege” by Hung and People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜).
“Such an accusation is baseless,” DPP spokesperson Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) said. “Tsai Ing-wen has made it very clear that a debate is an important part of a presidential campaign. However, according to precedent, it should be held only after all candidates have registered.”
Noting that there were no televised debates during the first direct presidential election in 1996 or in the 2000 race, Cheng said the first such debate was not held until Feb. 14, 2004 — which was eight days after the candidacy registration period had ended for that year’s race.
The debate for the 2008 election was held on Feb. 24, while the registration period for that poll closed on Jan. 30; and registration period for the 2012 election closed on Nov. 24, 2011 and the debate was held on Dec. 3, 2011.
Meanwhile, Hung brushed aside questions about whether she felt isolated on the campaign trail, given that few KMT heavyweights have made appearances at her events.
“Why would I? Are you suggesting that these heavyweights be glued to my side and follow me wherever I go?” Hung said, adding that top party members have tried to dispel rumors of sour relations through various means and at different events.
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