In another example of discord between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP), PFP legislative candidate Sheu Yuan-kuo (許淵國) stormed the KMT's Taipei headquarters yesterday to protest news he may be left out of the parties' vote allocation strategy. Meanwhile, the KMT denied it had any such intentions towards Sheu.
Reacting to a report Thursday in the Chinese-language evening paper the China Times Express, Sheu arrived at the KMT's headquarters yesterday morning to protest the news that the KMT is asking the PFP to "abandon" Sheu in the parties' mutual vote allocation strategy in Taipei's north district. Wearing white shirts and headbands that read "political assassination," Sheu, his wife Chi Fang-yi (
PHOTO: WANG MIN-WEI, TAIPEI TIMES
Sheu later abandoned his "hunger strike" after a placatory visit by PFP Chairman James Soong (
Yesterday, the China Times Express reporter Chiu Hui-chun (
Vote allocation is an electoral strategy in whic party supporters are told to allocate their votes between favored candidates to maximize the number of winning seats. A possible collaborative vote allocation strategy between the PFP and the KMT has been a topic of debate in this year's election.
Speaking to reporters at his protest yesterday, Sheu accused the KMT of trying to influence his election chances.
"Abandonment is just like political assassination," said Sheu.
Sheu pointed out that in the last legislative elections, he won a legislative seat with the seventh highest number of votes in his district, despite low poll figures.
In reaction, Liao Feng-te (廖風德), Director of the KMT's Organization and Development Committee, said yesterday that the KMT and PFP had no legislators they considered to be "trailing behind."
The pan-blue alliance has been conservative in its nominations for this year's elections, Liao said. As a result, it only has plans to bolster, not abandon, weaker candidates, he added.
While on the campaign trial in Taipei County yesterday, Soong said that the KMT was in no position to speak for the PFP about its legislative candidates.
"The election chances of PFP candidates should be released by the PFP. However, I see news in the paper every day about how the KMT is releasing news for us about which of the PFP's candidates will be elected and not. This is very disrespectful to the candidates," said Soong yesterday while campaigning in Taipei County.
Soong later visited Sheu and successfully convinced him to stop his protest, in recognition of the KMT and PFP's relationship as allies.
Though mollified by Soong, Hsu said yesterday that he was still considering taking out a lawsuit against Liao and the article's author for intentionally influencing Hsu's chances of re-election, in accordance with the Public Officials Election and Recall Law (
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
POOR IMPLEMENTATION: Teachers welcomed the suspension, saying that the scheme disrupted school schedules, quality of learning and the milk market A policy to offer free milk to all school-age children nationwide is to be suspended next year due to multiple problems arising from implementation of the policy, the Executive Yuan announced yesterday. The policy was designed to increase the calcium intake of school-age children in Taiwan by drinking milk, as more than 80 percent drink less than 240ml per day. The recommended amount is 480ml. It was also implemented to help Taiwanese dairy farmers counter competition from fresh milk produced in New Zealand, which is to be imported to Taiwan tariff-free next year when the Agreement Between New Zealand and
Taiwanese professional baseball should update sports stadiums and boost engagement to enhance fans’ experience, Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) in an interview on Friday. The league has urged Farglory Group and the Taipei City Government to improve the Taipei Dome’s outdated equipment, including relatively rudimentary television and sound systems, and poor technology, he said. The Tokyo Dome has markedly better television and sound systems, despite being 30 years old, because its managers continually upgraded its equipment, Tsai said. In contrast, the Taipei Dome lacked even a room for referees
RSS