ELECTION 2024/Hou calls for end to DPP rule at final weekend rally in Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung, Jan. 7 (CNA) Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) held a rally in Kaohsiung Sunday, on the last weekend of the election campaign, at which he called on voters to support the party and end the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) eight years in power.

Joined by party heavyweights in a show of unity, the New Taipei mayor accused the DPP of corruption over the past eight years, as he addressed the rally held in front of a major shopping mall in the southern port city's Cianjhen District.

Hou also slammed the DPP for its control of local media and its "internet army" for repeatedly attacking himself and the KMT for maintaining closer ties with China.

In his speech, Hou said the best interests of the Republic of China are close to his heart and related how as a former police detective for over 30 years, he repeatedly put his life on the line to protect the public and the country.

Hou further accused the DPP of disregarding university autonomy, citing the case of former National Taiwan University (NTU) President Kuan Chung-ming (管中閔).

Hou was referring to a year-long controversy concerning Kuan's NTU presidency.

Kuan was originally selected NTU president on Jan. 5 2018 to take over from former NTU President Yang Pan-chyr (楊泮池).

However, the Ministry of Education under the DPP government refused to confirm Kuan's appointment by the original Feb. 1 deadline, citing an alleged conflict of interest in the selection process and other possible violations of existing regulations.

Critics of the DPP saw the move as politically motivated, arguing that the party opposed Kuan because of his association with the KMT as the economics professor previously served in the position of chief economic planner for the KMT administration from February 2013 to February 2015.

After a year-long deadlock, the DPP government finally approved Kuan's appointment and he served as the official head of the top university in Taiwan from January 2019 to January 2023.

Kuan attended Sunday's rally and took to the stage to say he had decided to speak for Hou in Kaohsiung to support a "courageous candidate with integrity," calling for the DPP to be "voted out of office."

At the two-hour-long rally, which organizers claimed was attended by 120,000 supporters, many KMT heavyweights made an appearance, including former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), former Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and former Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), among others, as the party sought to present a unified image.

On Jan. 13, Hou and his running mate Jaw Shau-kong (趙少康) face off against DPP candidates, sitting Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and his running mate Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), and Taiwan People's Party presidential nominee Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and his running mate Wu Hsin-ying (吳欣盈) in the three-way race for the Presidential Office.