Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday urged KMT members not to revel in their joy over the party’s victory in the Hualien City mayoral by-election on Saturday, saying the road ahead for the party would be arduous following the passage of the Act Governing the Handling of Ill-gotten Properties by Political Parties and Their Affiliate Organizations (政黨及其附隨組織不當取得財產處理條例).
“While the party’s winning of the by-election was a minor consolation, it does not mean we should be overjoyed by the victory,” Hung said during a swearing-in ceremony for the new director of the KMT’s Taoyuan branch in the county yesterday morning.
Hung said the KMT should remain vigilant despite the triumph and not mistake it for a sign that the party is going to enjoy an easy ride going forward.
There are numerous challenges facing the KMT, Hung said, adding that the legislature’s passage of the ill-gotten assets act last month would only make the party’s predicament even more complicated.
KMT candidate Wei Chia-hsien (魏嘉賢) won the by-election against his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) opponent, Chang Mei-hui (張美慧), by a comfortable 17,923 votes to 13,958.
The by-election was held to fill the mayoral position left vacant after the DPP’s Tien Chih-hsuan (田智宣) died of lung cancer in May aged 56.
Hung said that the KMT is determined to do everything in its power to protest the ill-gotten party assets act, which she said is illegitimate and unconstitutional and would only aggravate social divisions.
“Nevertheless, the KMT must not become mired in the issue. We will put up a fight while listening to the voices of the public,” Hung said, adding that a political party should also be equipped with the ability to steer public opinion and use valid reasons to convince voters.
Hung also urged KMT members to remember that the party is devoted to Taiwan and to bear in mind the fact that Taiwan and the nation have breathed and grown together.
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