Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Acting Chairperson Huang Min-hui (黃敏惠) is facing criticism over the party’s chairperson election, with other candidates calling for her to step down as acting chairperson or exit the race entirely.
The calls were especially poignant following rumors of Huang treating party members to banquets and a member of the KMT Central Standing Committee known to favor Huang giving out gift boxes of tomatoes worth NT$1,000 during a lunch event in Tainan on Friday.
KMT chairperson candidate Lee Hsin (李新) yesterday suggested that Huang back out of the race, especially as the KMT, after its landslide losses in the January presidential and legislative elections, is talking of reform in an attempt to win back public support.
Photo: CNA
Huang’s her role as acting chairperson while campaigning for the position, coupled with her allegedly giving out gifts and hosting banquets nationwide, are likely to harm the public’s image of the KMT, Lee said.
Lee said he could not accept nor condone such actions any longer and called for Huang to provide oversight of other candidates as acting chairperson instead of being a candidate.
KMT Legislator and chairperson candidate Apollo Chen (陳學聖), attending an event commemorating Women’s Day at the Taipei City Council, said that he felt Huang should make a choice.
Chen said that he has recused himself from his role as director-general of the KMT’s Taoyuan headquarters because he is running for chairperson.
If Huang does not step down as acting chairperson, she should do as he has and relinquish the responsibilities of the role, Chen said, adding that the move would maintain neutrality in party affairs.
Chen said he believed Huang would make the “correct” decision, adding that, while he is unfamiliar with the allegations of gift-giving, he felt party representatives and committee members should not be hosting banquets or giving out gifts.
Chairperson candidates should also excuse themselves from participating in such events to prevent misunderstandings, Chen said, adding that candidates should instead focus their efforts on preparing for their policy debates.
According to the Chinese-language Apple Daily, KMT chairperson candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) said at an event in New Taipei City’s Tucheng District (土城) yesterday afternoon that the decision to run for party chairperson was not an easy one to make.
Hung said she was glad to see four candidates in the race, but feared that it could extend the elections and turn it into a two-round vote due to scattered voting.
Pointing to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Hung said it was a disappointing that the KMT has not yet appointed a chairperson while the DPP is already preparing to take office in May.
Hung said the chairperson election has already been delayed once, and called on KMT members to consolidate their votes and “finish it.”
The KMT cannot afford to become a pile of sand after suffering two landslide election losses, which would only subject the party to more humiliation and see it stripped of its power, Hung said, calling on KMT members to present themselves as the stone and mortar of a stronger party.
In response to the allegations of Huang buying votes, Hung said there were many events and Lunar New Year parties being held at about the same time.
Hung said that it was simply tradition, but that candidates participating in such events should endeavor not to give the wrong impression.
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