KMT and splinter party unite for election
Critics say move will only create more friction
Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang and its People First Party (PFP) splinter group have agreed to form an alliance and co-operate in fielding a common list of candidates for December's legislative election.
But the move has been criticised by most KMT legislators, who say it threatens to cause more conflicts and problems for the island's biggest opposition party and puts a damper on its poll chances.
During a satellite videoconference yesterday, KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou and his PFP counterpart, James Soong Chu-yu, signed an agreement calling for closer co-operation on policies, tactics in the legislature and elections.
'The signing of the agreement not only marks the beginning of future co-operation between the KMT and the PFP, but also represents a milestone in Taiwan's democratic history,' Mr Ma said during the videoconference in Taipei.
He said the formation of the alliance was aimed at establishing a stronger opposition more capable of exercising checks and balances on the government. 'It will help develop a rational and moderate strength in Taiwan,' he added.
Speaking from San Francisco, Mr Soong, who had said he would quit politics, told the conference the alliance was not designed to create confrontation between the opposition and the government.
'Nor is it for the interests of the opposition camp or any individual,' he said. 'Rather it is to form a moderate and stable force in order to find new hopes for Taiwan.'
The two opposition leaders said the alliance would work together to pave the way for an opposition victory in the presidential election scheduled for March next year.
Mr Ma also said a joint KMT-PFP platform would be formed to select the best candidates to run in the year-end legislative poll.
But most KMT legislators were sceptical about the alliance's effectiveness in fielding joint candidates for December's poll.
'It is predictable that the two parties will go separate ways after failing to reach compromises on the candidacy issue,' KMT legislator Hsu Chung-hsiung said.
He said more conflict would be created within the KMT, with bitter aspirants who failed to win nomination likely to harbour grudges against Mr Ma or simply break away to run on their own.
Other legislators said it would only benefit the PFP, a small party fighting for survival.
The PFP has been facing an uncertain future since Mr Soong finished a humiliating third in December's mayoral poll in Taipei, leading to his announcement he would quit politics.
Twelve of its 34 legislators have jumped ship to the KMT since mid-2005, following the adoption of measures that will slash the number of legislative seats by half to 113 this year.
Meanwhile, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party mocked the formation of the opposition alliance, saying that instead of thinking of the public it was thinking of its 'self-interest'.
DPP legislative whip Chen Chin-chun said he wondered in what guise Mr Soong had signed the agreement with Mr Ma. 'Didn't he say he had already quit politics? How come he still came out to sign the agreement?' Mr Chen asked.
