Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) yesterday asked successor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to attempt to to persuade Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) to stay on as one of the party's vice chairmen and said that unity and reform are the party's goals.
After meeting with Lien for about an hour at KMT headquarters yesterday morning, Ma said Lien had offered him some advice about the party's division of labor and its upcoming national convention, scheduled for next Friday and Saturday.
"Chairman Lien hopes that I can work together with Legislative Speaker Wang and asked me to continue to consult with Wang," Ma said. "That is to say, Lien wants to request that Wang retain his [KMT] office."
Ma said that he has never given up on the idea of being able to persuade Wang to stay on and will continue to press him.
Lien also gave Ma suggestions on ensuring that the party's 17th national convention runs smoothly.
The outgoing chairman also asked the mayor to use next week's convention to demonstrate the KMT's solidarity and resolution to reform.
Ma said that Lien did not offer an opinion on whether KMT's Central Standing Committee members should be elected directly by convention delegates.
According to Ma, Lien only said that the KMT's Organization and Development Committee should study the proposal.
Ma said that a large number of party members are expected to contribute their ideas about party reform during the convention and he welcomes such opinions as long as they are submitted according to regulations.
Meanwhile, KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (
"Such a change will bring the committee members much closer to grassroots member's voices and is a necessary reform," Wu said.
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