Tue, Sep 10, 2002 page4

• PFP's man withdraws from Kaohsiung race

  THE FIELD NARROWS The PFP vice charman, Chang Chao-hsiung, yesterday ended his low-key campaign for Kaohsiung mayor in the name of opposition unity

  • By Sandy Huang / STAFF REPORTER
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  PFP Vice Chairman Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄) yesterday withdrew from the Kaohsiung mayoral race and threw his support behind independent candidate Chang Po-ya (張博雅), a former interior minister.

  Chang Chao-hsiung, who was representing the PFP in a three-way contest for the pan-blue camp's nomination, said he had made the decision for the good of cooperation between his party and the KMT.

  Born and raised in Kaohsiung City, Chang Chao-hsiung said he cared a lot for his hometown and that was the reason why he had decided to run for the mayoral post in the first place.

  

  PFP Vice Chairman Chang Chao-hsiung, right, announces his support for independent Chang Po-ya at a press conference yesterday.

  PHOTO: LIN YA-LI, TAIPEI TIMES

  "Out of respect for the opposition parties' cooperation, I have been keeping a low campaign profile all along," said Chang, who was persuaded by his party to stand for election three months ago.

  "For the sake of pushing for a quick and smooth nomination process among the opposition parties, I've decided to withdraw from the nomination," he said.

  Chang's withdrawal left two candidates, former Kaohsiung deputy mayor Huang Jun-ying (黃俊英) of the KMT and Chang Po-ya, to compete for the opposition camp's nomination for the year-end Kaohsiung City mayoral race.

  Earlier last week, former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) withdrew from the pan-blue nomination process, saying he would "walk his own way" and conduct a separate campaign.

  At a press conference to announce his withdrawal from the race yesterday, Chang Chao-hsiung threw his weight behind Chang Po-ya, saying she was the best choice for Kaohsiung voters.

  "The candidacies of all the nominees are good, but [Kaohsiung residents] ought to choose the best of them all, [someone] who is capable, determined, honest, upright and with a vision," he said, adding that his party also regarded Chang Po-ya as the best candidate.

  Chang Po-ya, who sat next to Chang Chao-hsiung during the press conference, said she appreciated his support and respected his decision to withdraw.

  She said that a united opposition was necessary to win the election.

  "I hope that the opposition party nomination process can proceed and develop smoothly and thus, without a hitch, nominate a candidate to run for the Kaohsiung mayoral post," she said.
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