Veteran entertainer and senior Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member Yu Tien (余天) yesterday apologized for stirring controversy within the party when he criticized President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and party leadership for allowing another candidate to compete with his daughter for a Taipei councilor seat.
Yu’s daughter, Yu Shiao-ping (余筱萍), has announced her intention to run for Taipei’s Zhongzheng (中正) and Wanhua (萬華) district seat. She will be competing with former DPP spokeswoman Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) for the party’s nomination in the March primary.
During a DPP Central Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday, Yu Tien reportedly lambasted top party officials, including Tsai, for fielding a strong candidate against his daughter without prior negotiations, a party source said.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
He reportedly asked Tsai if she personally endorsed Wu’s bid, and if any DPP faction was involved in targeting him.
The DPP knew as early as April last year that Yu Shiao-ping planned to run in this constituency, so the party could have averted the competition between his daughter and Wu by fielding Wu in another constituency, he said.
Tsai did not react to Yu Tien’s questions.
DPP secretary-general Hung Yao-fu (洪耀福) told Yu Tien that the party did not “appoint” Wu to run in the constituency, and that it had no right to prevent its members from running for public office.
Yu Tien temporarily left the meeting after a short confrontation with Hung.
Media reports of his outburst drew criticism, with politicians and netizens accusing him of seeking to forestall fair competition.
Yu Tien then issued a statement apologizing to the party’s supporters and Tsai for causing controversy because of “personal and emotional reasons.”
“I will act more discreetly and bolster party solidarity to regain supporters’ confidence [in the DPP],” he said.
Wu is considered a strong candidate due to her fresh image, and as a first-time candidate, she would be entitled to a 10 percent bonus in primary polling results, according to a new DPP nomination policy announced last year.
“It is out of the question that the DPP would give any candidate any resources, because the DPP has to stay neutral during the primaries,” Wu said, disputing the allegation that the party favored her bid.
“All DPP members can register for the primary. The nomination will be decided through a telephone poll. There is no issue of ‘appointment,’” Wu said.
The Wednesday episode showed Yu Tien’s love for his daughter, and his anger was understandable, Wu added.
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