Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday said that she respects a person’s “freedom of expression” when asked to comment on KMT Central Standing Committee member Chiang Shuo-ping’s (江碩平) announcement that he intends to seek a provisional party congress to assess whether Hung should be replaced as the party’s candidate in next year’s election.
When further pressed by journalists over whether she supports the proposal for the party to call a provisional party convention, a solemn-looking Hung only said: “I respect it, I respect it.”
Chiang reaffirmed his intention yesterday, saying that he has answered nearly 100 telephone calls from grassroots party members in recent weeks, all of whom have said they are worried that Hung continues to lag well behind Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in opinion polls.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
“They all asked me what the party can do about it,” Chiang said, adding that there is a growing sentiment within the party that Hung should be replaced.
He reiterated that he is planning to ask the Central Standing Committee during its meeting on Wednesday to convene a provisional party congress for talks on whether Hung should be replaced as the KMT’s nominee for the presidential race.
“It is not because Hung is not good... We can only say that she lacks the charisma to draw everyone to like her, in a similar way to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九),” Chiang said.
Photo: CNA
Asked who is liked by everyone, he said: “I don’t know.”
Morale at the grassroots level has been very low and people are anxious, “otherwise I would not bring up the proposal,” Chiang said, adding that he is confident that his proposal to hold a provisional party congress will be adopted.
Meanwhile, some KMT voters left messages on Hung’s official Facebook page yesterday, while some others slammed Chiang, with one saying that “I will not vote for any KMT candidate in the legislative elections if Hung is replaced.”
In addition to the presidential race, the KMT is expected to face a tough challenge to maintain its majority in the 113-seat Legislative Yuan in next year’s legislative elections, which are to be held simultaneously with the presidential vote.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old