Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairperson candidate Lee Hsin (李新) yesterday urged a rival, KMT acting chairperson Huang Min-hui (黃敏惠), to resign from her post to ensure a level playing field for all candidates.
In front of several cardboard placards showing his campaign pledges, Lee showed his discontent with what he called the party’s unjust chairperson by-election by beating a drum in front of the KMT’s headquarters in Taipei.
“Both candidates in the KMT’s 2007 chairperson by-election — then-acting chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and then-legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) — stepped down from their posts as party acting chair and Central Standing Committee member respectively to prevent the public from making a fuss about the issue,” Lee said.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Lee — who serves as a Taipei City councilor — said Huang should follow the pairs’ example and avoid giving the public the impression that she is “both a player and a referee in the game.”
Lee criticized Hung — who is also vying for the KMT chairpersonship — over her refusal to attend a public forum to be held on Saturday by several KMT-affiliated civic groups founded by younger party members.
The forum, called “Chairperson, may I ask a question?” invites all chairperson candidates to answer queries regarding the party’s future.
“Hung should publicly expound her ideas and values. If she is afraid to attend such an event, how is she going to lead the KMT and enable the party to act as a balance to the Democratic Progressive Party?” Lee said.
“Does Hung really think she can win the by-election lying down? What else can we expect from someone who is so arrogant — even without power?” he asked.
Lee urged KMT headquarters to abolish the 3 percent signature threshold necessary for hopefuls to register their candidacy, a mechanism that he said has been marred by forgery and fabrication.
He also called for transparency in the KMT headquarters’ determination of signature validity, saying they should let candidates know which of the signatures they obtain are deemed invalid rather than simply giving out a number.
Under the terms of the KMT’s by-election regulations, only hopefuls who collect signatures from at least 3 percent of all party members before Sunday can officially register as candidates in the March 26 election.
In related news, KMT Central Standing Committee member Lin Rong-te (林榮德) announced his decision to drop out of the by-election, bringing the number of contenders to four.
“For the sake of party solidarity and the bigger picture, as well as my aspiration to let someone more capable to lead the party and my mother’s strong opposition to my bid, I have determined to withdraw from the race,” Lin said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.