Presidential candidate Chen Shui-bian (3?糮? yesterday met Liao Cheng-ho (1虪蕃? in a bid to seek the former justice minister's support for the DPP's campaign.
Officials close to Chen said the two had been in close contact for months through middlemen.
The meeting, arranged by DPP lawmaker Parris Chang (
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
Even so, the two men answered reporters' questions in front of Liao's home, saying they had reached a consensus on reforming Taiwan's public security and on cross-strait issues.
"Liao is an expert in his field who devotes himself to reforming Taiwan's social problems, especially the so-called black gold politics," Chen said.
He said that he respected Liao as a capable official who was not affiliated to any person or party.
"He [Liao] is public property and his potential should not be wasted by being sidelined with political patronage."
Liao said their discussions had been friendly and productive.
"We both agree that black gold politics is a problem in our community," Liao said, but refused to say whether he would support Chen.
Liao earned a reputation for cracking down on organized crime as justice minister, but was forced to quit last year by Premier Vincent Siew (
Liao has been vocal in his opposition to the Lien-Siew ticket and has said that he would never campaign for the KMT.
There were also reports in the last few weeks that he was to be named as the running-mate for independent presidential candidate James Soong (
KMT lawmaker Eric Chu (
Chu said it was possible that Liao's switch to a rival party could lead to loss of face within the KMT.
"Lien promoted Liao for the past decade to high positions, but now Liao appears to keep his distance from the KMT," Chu said, "So, Lien's rivals have tried to persuade Liao to defect."
"Liao is famous for cracking down on organized crime. If the KMT loses him it will strengthen an image which was publicized by opposition parties, that the KMT is involved in black gold politics and refuses to solve this problem," said Lin Yu-fang (
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