Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), after what she described as a “long deliberation,” announced yesterday that she would not run for a legislative seat as an independent candidate, nor would she accept the New Party’s offer to be listed as one of the party’s legislator-at-large nominees.
Speculation had been rife that Hung, whose presidential candidacy was rescinded by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) last month, would run for legislator in New Taipei City’s Yonghe District (永和).
Hung refused to confirm or deny the rumor on Thursday, saying she would provide an answer yesterday, which was the last day of candidacy registration.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Hung called a press conference at 3pm, officially announcing her decision that, in order to continue to push for reform in the KMT, she would stay in the party, indicating that running for legislator in Yonghe would be out of the question, as it would cost her KMT membership.
“I have said [in the extraordinary party congress that revoked her presidential candidacy] that I would not give up on the party. I could not let go of my responsibility and feelings for the KMT,” she said. “I know many in the past 20 years have left the party out of disappointment and anger, but staying is definitely not easy, because the KMT has to undergo reforms to win back people’s hearts.”
“I am very grateful, but I apologize to New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming (郁慕明), who has, since the extraordinary party congress, tried to talk me into accepting his offer on the New Party’s legislator-at-large list,” Hung said, adding the New Party “walks on the right path” with its “unyielding stance against Taiwanese independence, dedication to safeguarding the Republic of China and maintaining cross-strait peace.”
“With its combative legislator-at-large nominees, I believe that those who have been disappointed [with the KMT] now have an alternative,” Hung said.
Among the “combative” legislator-at-large candidates nominated by the New Party are former Central Police University professor Yeh Yu-lan (葉毓蘭) and former KMT legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅), occupying the first and the second place respectively on the party’s 10-nominee list, both of whom made front-page news during the Sunflower movement last year by castigating the protesters and the occupation of the legislative Yuan’s main chamber.
Yeh said on Thursday that she has withdrawn from the KMT for the New Party’s nomination, while Chiu said he would leave the membership issue to the KMT.
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