The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday defended its campaigning efforts for Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), denying allegations by the opposition camp that the KMT was reluctant to help Hau’s embattled team resolve recent controversies surrounding the Taipei International Flora Expo.
Hau’s support rate has plummeted in the past two weeks following problematic purchase plans for flowers used at the Xinsheng Overpass and in the expo. Upset about Hau’s poor handling of the matter, the KMT last week instructed party legislators and city councilors to help the Hau team clarify the disputes.
However, many KMT legislators and city councilors refused to give the Hau team a hand, allegedly because of the “arrogant” and “stubborn” attitude of top Hau aides, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) said.
Anonymous sources from the KMT quoted in the story described the Hau team as a “small circle” that refused to listen to the advice of others, making it difficult for the KMT to communicate with them.
KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung (金溥聰) yesterday said the party was determined to help Hau address the problem and win the Taipei mayoral election in November, while accusing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and “certain media outlets” of trying to divide the party.
“The KMT has confidence in Mayor Hau’s ability and we will demonstrate our determination to support him. We will use a united KMT to defeat a divided DPP,” he said.
King defended the flora expo as a major international event that would help promote Taipei and expected the city government to show its strength in organizing the event.
KMT Spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) said the KMT maintained great relations with the Hau team and interactions between the party and the team had been very positive.
Hau, a former New Party member, yesterday dismissed allegations that he had problematic relations with the KMT and said he and his municipal team would take full responsibility and step up efforts to clarify doubts over the purchase plans.
“My relationship with the KMT is very good. The disputes over the purchase plans were the result of our slow response and we will step up efforts to make up for it and earn back public trust,” he said.
Responding to DPP challenges over the price of flowers and plants and accusations of bribery in the projects, Hau launched a task force last week to assess the purchase plans thoroughly and promised to unveil the result of the investigation in two weeks.
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