Pegatron boss joins Hualien motorcade opposing KMT's Fu ahead of recall vote

Taipei, July 22 (CNA) Pegatron Chairman Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢) on Tuesday joined a motorcade in Hualien County, rallying support to oust Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) ahead of a wave of recall votes set for Saturday.

Tung, a Hualien native and outspoken advocate for political reform, rode with Hualien County Council Speaker Chang Chun (張峻), an independent, along with other local councilors and civic groups through the county's central and northern regions.

Speaking to reporters before the tour, Tung likened the county's political atmosphere to "a puddle of stagnant water," breeding mosquitoes and filth.

He said Hualien deserves a cleaner, more pluralistic political scene -- one that nurtures young talent instead of suffocating it.

The KMT's Hualien Chapter later issued a statement calling Tung a respected, self-made businessman known for his impartial views. That he would wade into this "stark political power struggle" is especially "heartbreaking," it said.

Fu, the party said, is being subjected to a political witch hunt that ignores his contributions to Hualien and aims only to suppress dissent.

Tung was also asked about the apparent split between his pro-recall stance and that of Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), who opposes the campaign. Tung is set to represent the TPP in a televised debate on the Aug. 23 referendum on restarting the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant.

Tung, a vocal supporter of nuclear energy, said only that matters such as nuclear power and recall campaigns should be answered through personal conscience, and declined to elaborate further.

In an unprecedented move, civic groups have launched mass recall votes targeting 31 KMT lawmakers and suspended Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安), who has been indicted on corruption charges.