Former lawmaker took Ko's parents to CEC in last-ditch attempt: reports

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/09/17
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Following the unexpected decision by Foxconn Technology founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) not to run for president, the registration process for the January 2011 election took another bizarre turn Tuesday (September 17) evening when the parents of Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) visited the Central Election Commission (CEC) but were turned away because they were too late.

The deadline for independent candidates to register was set at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, with a review process due to take another day. The CEC had received registration forms from eight teams.

After the CEC refused Ko’s parents, the mayor and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman turned up himself, but he said he only arrived there to pick them up and take them home, the Central News Agency reported. His parents had reportedly been taken to the CEC offices by a former lawmaker eager to see Ko run.

Gou and Ko were seen as temporary allies, with the tycoon expected to run for president and the mayor focusing on the legislative elections also to be held on January 11. After Gou announced late Monday (September 16) night that he would not register, attention focused on whether Ko would do so instead.    [FULL  STORY]