Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
"The reshuffle was for the KMT, for the presidential election and for Taiwan, too," Ma said during the handover ceremony. "The nation has gone through a political, moral and financial crisis since the KMT lost power, but with the reshuffle, we hope to take the reins of power again."
Taking over as party secretary-general, Wu, also a legislator, described Ma as "Sacred Monk (唐三藏)" -- an allusion to the religious hero in the Chinese novel Journey to the West who traveled to India to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures for China.
PHOTO: CNA
Wu said he would be one of the disciples that would assist Ma in his journey toward victory in the presidential election next year.
"The Journey to the West is full of challenges ... I will be the uncomplaining Sand Monk who bears all the hardships, and hopefully there will be many Monkey Kings to ensure a smooth journey for Sacred Monk," Wu said.
Ma's two other appointees were Yang Tu (楊渡), former deputy editorial writer at the Chinese-language China Times, as chairman of the Culture and Communications Committee, and Su Jin-pin (蘇俊賓), chief of the Taoyuan County Government's environmental protection bureau, as party spokesman.
Former secretary-general Chan Chun-po (
While the ceremony was packed with KMT members from all over the nation to welcome the new-comers, Ma's appointment of Yang and Su has been challenged by members who have questioned the pair's loyalty.
Yang only applied to join the party last Friday after his recruitment was confirmed, while Su, although a KMT member, is a political commentator who had criticized the party a number of times on a pro-independence TV show.
Ma yesterday again defended his appointees, urging party members to embrace different voices.
"Everyone here today loves the KMT. Some may set very high standards and be critical of the party. That's not his or her problem; the problem is that as an opposition party, we have a responsibility and cannot afford to mess around," he said.
Chan, meanwhile, shrugged off speculation that he may be forced out of his new post and instead joined Ma in lauding Wu, saying he expected Wu to be Ma's right-hand man, especially in the legislature.
Yang, dubbed by the press as a member of the party's "China Times gang," said he would seek more talent among the academics to strengthen the KMT's image.
As the KMT has widely been criticized for being weak on "pro-localization rhetoric," Yang said he would go to southern Taiwan more often to build up the KMT's local voice.
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