Taiwan's main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT) will elect a new
chairman in mid April following the resignation of its former
leader Ma Ying-jeou on Feb. 14.
The election will take place prior to a number of major Taiwan
elections including a primary election for the Taiwan leader, and a
by-election for mayor of Keelung, both of which take place in
May.
The new party chairman will hold the post until 2009 according
to KMT's regulation.
Wu Poh-hsiung, vice chairman of KMT, has been acting party
chairman since Ma resigned.
Ma Ying-jeou submitted his resignation on Feb.13 after he was
indicted on charges of corruption. Taiwan prosecutors said Ma
diverted 11 million New Taiwan dollars (US$333,000) from Taipei's
special allowance funds to his private account when he was mayor of
Taipei.
Ma has said he still plans to run in the 2008 "Presidential"
election after he is cleared of the charges and if he is selected
as the KMT candidate.
(Xinhua News Agency February 24, 2007)