Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman and presidential hopeful Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday shrugged off disputes over the issue of the KMT's presidential nomination, expressing confidence in his bid for president.
"The grassroots [supporters] know which ticket will win the election, and they only care about who can win ... I don't want to say it. You should go and ask them," Ma told reporters yesterday during a visit to Chiayi County.
In response to Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng's (王金平) refusal to play second fiddle and run as the vice-presidential candidate on the party's ticket, Ma said he realized that grassroots supporters did not take the pair-up issue too seriously, adding that he would focus his attention on seeking solutions to Taiwan's economic difficulties.
The comments by Ma and Wang yesterday further complicated the party's efforts to end the fierce rivalry between the two and persuade them to run on a joint ticket in the presidential election more difficult.
Former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and KMT Acting Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) have negotiated with Ma and Wang several times, but have so far failed to reach a conclusion that is satisfactory to the duo.
Although Wu had demanded that Ma and Wang select each other as running mate if nominated, Wang and Ma have not publicly agreed to the idea.
Lashing out at the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for ignoring the issue of people's livelihoods over the past seven years, Ma pledged to improve the economy and vowed to increase subsidies for seniors and the elderly farmers allowance if elected.
Meanwhile, upset by recent speculation that Lien was unhappy with his failure to persuade Wang to take over the party chairmanship, despite Lien's denial of such rumors, Wu decided to invite both Lien and Wang to explain the matter to the media.
Wu made the move in response to reports in Chinese-language newspapers the United Daily News and China Times that said Lien had asked Wu to invite Wang to take over the chairmanship during a private meeting last Tuesday, and was upset that Wu entered the by-election instead.
Lien on Friday admitted that he preferred Wang as the KMT's new chairman, but denied ever asking Wu to help him persuade Wang.
The KMT's acting chairman office director Huang Yu-cheng (黃玉振) said yesterday that Wu had decided to explain the matter in public with Lien and Wang in order to prevent any further speculation about the matter.
"Wu has explained the matter several times, but some people tried to distort the facts by spreading rumors to the media, and so he wanted to explain what really happened," Huang said.
Wu said on Friday that he had urged Lien to take over as chairman during their private meeting, and told him he would enter the by-election if Lien didn't want to do so.
Meanwhile, Wang yesterday said that he favored a Wang-Ma rather than a Ma-Wang presidential ticket, saying that the former one was a winning combination.
"If [I were to be paired up with Ma], of course it should be a Wang-Ma ticket," Wang told reporters when asked for comment on Ma's earlier remarks.
"Everyone wants the best for himself and will strive for it. I don't remember whether I have spoken about this, but what I am thinking about in my heart is a Wang-Ma ticket," Wang said.
Wang said that a Ma-Wang ticket would not be a threat to the DPP because the DPP has prepared itself for beating Ma in next year's presidential election.
"Only a presidential ticket led by a pro-localization candidate can help the KMT win the election," Wang said, without elaborating.
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