Chairman Johnny Chiang of the Kuomintang (KMT) delivered remarks on the evening of September 25, stating that election clashes and conflicts were inevitable, but he hoped that each candidate could leave such squabbles behind, and that he would take the lead in bringing the other two candidates to support the new chairman-elect.
Chairman Chiang and top-level party officers announced resignation en masse, and the chairman appointed vice-secretary Lee Yen-hsiu to head a handover team, aiming to complete the handover by the end of September.
In regards to the Chairmanship election, Chairman Chiang expressed his gratitude towards all party members who took part in the voting, as no matter who they voted for, they voted for the KMT, adding that their high level of participation represented their care for the KMT, the Republic of China, and Taiwan’s society and that their support had given the KMT unceasing vitality. Although he had not successfully been re-elected, he had successfully passed a test of democracy within the party, so this was our shared victory!
Chairman Chiang also expressed his utmost gratitude towards all the party members and management teams involved in this election. The level of the spotlight on this election had brought about big challenges, but it was everyone’s contributions and hard work that enabled the KMT to take this significant step forward. Chiang also expressed his deepest gratitude towards the team that fought along with him and the ground-breaking involvement of our young party members, showing that the sprouting new hopes in society for the KMT were the most valuable gains from this election!
Chairman Chiang congratulated the new Chairman-elect Eric Chu, and gave thanks to Prof. Chang Ya-chung and Cho Po-yuan. It was with “the participation of the four of us that solidified the KMT’s democratic practice within the party, adding that we strived for our best in this election, which for outsiders might have looked extraordinarily intense. However, it was not a zero-sum game, it was a run for a leader as we are on the same team of basketball players. Once the leader has been chosen, we need to work as a group, added Chiang.
Chairman Chiang stressed that election clashes and conflicts were inevitable, but he hoped that all candidates could leave squabbles behind, and he would take the lead in bringing the other two candidates to support the new Chairman-elect. This morning, former Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu also called for party unity on Facebook, writing that party unity was the only way to stop the DPP, which is arbitrary, from continuously pressing their luck in poor governance.
Chairman Chiang urged all party members to leave the resulting excitement or disappointment in this night, for tomorrow all must unite as one in order to gain the public’s trust and votes in future elections.
Chairman Chiang expressed his gratitude towards all supporters, who sailed with him over the last 17 months through the Kaohsiung crisis, and cooperatively proposed a referendum along with civic groups to recall incompetent elect representatives.
Chairman Chiang pointed out that his run for Chairmanship was intended to sustain the missions for a recall election, which were much more important than the Chairmanship election itself. As an incumbent Chairman during the election, Chiang has not neglect the work of promoting the referendum, saying that he hoped that the newly elected Chairman Chu could carry forward the mission.
Chairman Chiang stated that “no one will be the chairman forever, but we will forever be the knights of the KMT, standing with the public.” Chiang will devote himself to the recall of legislator Chen Po-wei of the Taiwan Statebuilding Party, which would take place on October 23rd. Together with comrade Yen Kuan-heng, Chiang and Yen will serve as volunteers and help civic groups solicit votes in order to eliminate the incompetent legislator, he added.
As the initiator of the referendum, Chiang would also join the fight alongside other joint initiators including Lo Chih-Chiang and Chen Wei-Cho, to make their appeals to be heard nationwide in hopes of passing the 1218 Referendum. In face of the 2022 elections, the KMT must fight for victory and must continue to earn votes from swing voters and the younger generation inasmuch as the ability to nominate promising young candidates.
Chairman Chiang stated that the work with young people under his Chairmanship would be carried forward, to continuously sustain the KMT’s interactions with the younger generation and for the cultivation of young talents as the backup force for the party. Chiang added that he would of course step up for any mission that the party required of him, as long as it was for unity and the KMT’s return to governance.
“Elections are a pageant for grand debates within the party, so to speak; the closing of an election is the start for unity” Chairman Chiang stressed, adding that only through union of hearts in earnest could we regain the people’s trust in the KMT. He went on to say that only through honorable cooperation, could society see a new KMT! Over the past 17 months, we have pulled the KMT up from the trough towards an upward path on ascending grounds. He concluded by saying that after the election, we all must march towards victory hand in hand!
