Former Chiayi mayor Huang Min-hui (黃敏惠) yesterday announced her bid to run in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) primary for the city mayorship in the upcoming nine-in-one local elections.
Huang, who served as the city’s mayor for two terms from 2005 to 2014, made the announcement during a morning party in the city.
“Many good friends have told me that they wanted to see Chiayi return to its former glory,” Huang said on the sidelines of the event.
Photo: CNA
“I have decided to join their efforts by throwing my hat in the ring,” she added.
Having invested significant time and effort in listening to those at the grassroots level, Huang said she has the best grasp of people’s opinions and needs.
However, as a KMT member, Huang said she would respect the party leadership’s final decision.
Huang became the first woman in the KMT to take over the party’s helm in January 2016, when she was appointed interim party chairwoman after then-KMT chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) stepped down to take political responsibility for the KMT’s disastrous defeat in the presidential and legislative elections that year.
Huang only headed the party for two months before yielding the position to former deputy legislative speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) in March 2016, after losing to her in a party leadership by-election.
Interest in joining the KMT primary for the Chiayi mayoral post has also been expressed by two others: Chiayi City Council Speaker Hsiao Shu-li (蕭淑麗) and Jack Lee (李允傑), former minister of the now-defunct National Youth Commission.
The Chiayi position is currently held by Mayor Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲), a doctor-turned-politician and member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who defeated KMT candidate Chen Yi-chen (陳以真) by only 8,590 votes in the 2014 local elections.
During yesterday’s event, KMT Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said all three aspirants were talented and capable politicians.
“The KMT will choose Chiayi residents’ most preferred candidate through public opinion polls and a fair, just and open mechanism,” Wu said, expressing the hope that a KMT victory in the upcoming Chiayi mayoral election could pave the way for the party’s return to power in 2020.
The nine-in-one elections are scheduled for Nov. 24, when voters are to choose the mayors and city councilors of the six special municipalities, mayors and councilors in other cities, Aboriginal district representatives and councilors, county commissioners and councilors, township mayors and councilors, and borough and village wardens.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to prevent the DPP from losing Chiayi, the party’s headquarters is strongly promoting Twu, touting his political achievements to gain the support of county residents.
However, a source within the party said that an inability to “bring people together” is still Twu’s greatest challenge.
Additional reporting by Su Fang-ho
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS