New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih. CNA file photo Taipei, Sept. 23 (CNA) New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜), the opposition Kuomintang's (KMT) presidential nominee, went on leave starting Saturday and will be absent from his mayoral post until year end to focus on his campaign, according to the New Taipei City Government. New Taipei's Deputy Mayor Liu Ho-jan (劉和然) will serve as acting mayor during Hou's absence, a source in the city government with knowledge of the matter told CNA. A KMT legislative candidate, who asked not to be identified, welcomed the move, noting that Hou had been much less active on the campaign trail compared with his rivals - Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) of the Democratic Progressive Party, Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) of the Taiwan People's Party, and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘), an independent.

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