CHIAYI (TVBS News) — Kuomintang's (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih returned to his hometown Chiayi's Puzi City on Friday (Dec. 22) to pay respects to his late parents and campaign for votes, recounting his family's struggles in poverty.
Hou, who rose from a grassroots police officer to the Director-General of the National Police Agency, shared sentimental reflections on his childhood poverty, describing it as permeated with the smell of pig manure, yet warm. He emphasized that he wouldn't forget his family's and relatives' expectations of him.
During the event, Hou underscored a directive from his late mother, a Buddhist devotee, instructing him to take care of the country. He called for unity among citizens, regardless of political parties and colors, to enhance the nation's well-being.
Hou painted a picture of his parents' generation, navigating the toughest conditions after World War II. His father, conscripted by the Japanese, later returned to Puzi City amid a challenging post-war economy. According to Hou, his father took up the trade of a butcher, selling pork to make a living in difficult circumstances.
Recounting the hardships of the past, Hou said he felt compelled to run for president with hopes for a unified Taiwan that transcended party lines to improve the national welfare of the Republic of China.