The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Enoch Wu (吳怡農) and the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) yesterday took to motorcade rallies, as the legislative by-election candidates for Taipei’s Zhongshan District (中山) and part of Songshan District (松山) headed into their final stage of campaigning.
Ahead of voting on Sunday, the candidates were joined by Taipei city councilors of their respective parties as they vyed for the legislative seat vacated by Chiang Wang-an (蔣萬安) of the KMT, who won the Taipei City mayoral race in the local elections on Nov. 26 last year.
DPP figures have criticized Wang for “abandoning her voters” as she was only in November elected as Taipei city councilor. Within days of starting her new position, she agreed to run in the by-election for the KMT, and did not rescind her councilor seat.
Photo: CNA
Wang attended the Dec. 25 swearing-in ceremony, and is set to receive more than NT$771,810 according to electoral rules distributing NT$30 per ballot.
KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) joined Wang at the motorcade rally yesterday.
On Wednesday, Wang and Wu made televised policy presentations in efforts to appeal to undecided voters.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
Wu said that if he is elected, he would push for the establishment of a “homeland defense” force of about 80,000 to 100,000 civilians who could be deployed to support the armed forces if needed.
Wu said he would monitor how the Ministry of National Defense executes its plans to extend compulsory military service from four months to one year and bolster troop training.
Wu also proposed transforming Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), which serves as a civilian airport and air force base, into a public park.
Wang said she would advocate for the renewal of operational licenses for the Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City and Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County.
The two remaining nuclear power plants in operation would see all their reactors decommissioned by May 2025, the Atomic Energy Council said.
Wang also said she would call for more government financing related to mental health services.
Wednesday’s event ended with a performance by independent candidate Hsiao He-lin (蕭赫麟), who was a DPP member until Tuesday, when he was expelled from the party for running in the legislative by-election without the party’s permission, a DPP statement said.
In the 15 minutes allotted for his presentation, Hsiao, 54, held a piece of cardboard with a printed a QR code that linked to his Facebook page.
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