Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday said that she is still seriously pondering whether to vie for the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) chair, a post that would likely be left vacant by KMT presidential candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) should he lose the election on Saturday next week.
Hung made the remarks during a morning interview with POP Radio yesterday, during which she was asked who would take over the helm of the KMT after the party’s anticipated defeat in the upcoming presidential and legislative elections.
“First, it depends on whether Chu, the KMT’s incumbent chairman, would step down following the race,” Hung said.
In the event that Chu loses by only 200,000 votes or the KMT manages to maintain a satisfactory number of legislative seats, some party comrades might think that Chu should remain on the post,” Hung said.
“After all, Chu has only led the KMT for a relatively short period of time and has yet to have enough chances to reform the party,” Hung said.
Chu took over the KMT’s helm in January last year, after his predecessor, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), stepped down to take responsibility for the party’s disastrous defeat in the 2014 nine-in-one elections.
Hung said the KMT’s charters favors a KMT president doubling as party chair.
“That means Ma could assume the party chairmanship after Chu’s customary resignation and hold a chairmanship election after the new president is sworn in on May 20. By then, Chu could also compete for the post if he wants to,” Hung said.
Hung said other KMT members might also be interested in the chairmanship, such as Vice President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義).
She said she is still considering whether to run for the post and that she would factor in the post-election political environment and her party comrades’ expectations in her decision.
As to whether she would join Chu at a campaign event before the elections, Hung — who was replaced by Chu as the KMT’s presidential candidate in October last year — said it might be inevitable.
Hung jokingly said that it is not that she does not want to be seen together with Chu at the same campaign event, but rather because the image of her standing next to Chu might appear incongruous due to their difference in height.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
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