Vice President and KMT presidential candidate Lien Chan (
Analysts, however, said that Lien's proposals are simply old promises never delivered rather than new ideas -- but that at least they are a step in the right direction.
In a speech about his campaign platform, dubbed a "third wave of reform," Lien told thousands of supporters yesterday that party politics and business did not mix.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING
"Political parties must end their businesses and the KMT will take the initiative by having its property entrusted [to professional managers]," he said at the opening of his election campaign headquarters in Taipei.
Liu Tai-ying (
"That political parties should not run profit-oriented businesses and that political reforms, such as public referendums and single seat election districts should be adopted, were all part of a consensus reached at the National Development Conference," said Joseph Wu (
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
The conference was a cross-party meeting called by President Lee Teng-hui (
"What Lien promised today was nothing new, as some have perceived. The problem is that the promises have never been realized," Wu said.
"It would be a good thing if the KMT put its party assets in trust, or even returned all its assets to the state and put itself on a equal footing with other parties in competing for voters," Wu said.
"But I still doubt whether the KMT is going to do it."
He suggested candidates should take measures to make it binding for the future president to implement their proposals.
"Now that most candidates seem to agree on major reforms, one way to ensure that those reforms are completed is for the candidates to sign a contract," Wu said, "so that whoever is elected will have to do what they have promised."
Chang Ching-hsih (
"If he is willing to put party assets in trust, why won't he do it right now? What is he waiting for?" asked Chang. "The reason could be that he still needs the money."
"And in case he loses the election, he won't have to worry about party assets anymore, as whoever is elected will take care of the problem [by getting rid of the KMT's assets]," Chang added.
"Those assets were from the state and have to be returned to the state through a political settlement; as where the party's assets came from is a political issue to begin with," the economist said.
Lien's campaign manager Jason Hu (
"To put its assets in trust is a concept heading in the right direction; but it is only a beginning and it has to be followed by tremendous tasks," Chang said.
But other analysts believe Lien has taken a major step forward in making such an announcement.
"It could be the KMT's most crucial political declaration in Taiwan's democratization proc-ess," said Lin Hsiang-kai
"If the issues of the KMT's party businesses could be thoroughly solved, an environment guaranteeing fair political competition could be built," he said.
The KMT, which has been accused of using its wealth to consolidate power through election bribery, has investments in more than 300 companies under the jurisdiction of its powerful Business Management Committee, chaired by Liu.
In 1998, the net worth of the party's financial and media business empire reportedly reached NT$683 billion and it racked up another NT$12.1 billion in net earnings.
DPP presidential candidate Chen Shui-bian (
"You don't think the KMT wants to give up [its vested interests], do you?" Chen asked a large group of supporters in Ilan, northeastern Taiwan.
Referring to Lien's other promise to eradicate "black gold" or the involvement of money and gangsters in politics, Chen jeered that the KMT was like a "black-boned chicken."
"It is not just that its skin or flesh that is black. It's black to the bone," Chen said.
"And it cannot pretend that it is white simply by applying some white paint to its feathers," he added.
Other proposals in Lien's "third wave of reform" include the idea of legislation to regulate lobbies in parliament and donations to political parties.
He also pledged to stop gangsters from manipulating politics by revising laws to further restrict the participation of underworld figures in elections.
Critics have accused the party of maintaining close ties to politicians with criminal records and blamed the KMT for the growing influence of underworld figures in lawmaking bodies.
"Wiping out money power and gangster influence in politics cannot just rely on slogans and empty talk. We must take concrete steps," Lien said, adding that he will revise existing laws and enact new legislation to prevent people with gang links or criminal records from taking part in any political elections and to eliminate vote-buying.
Other reform measures in the KMT election platform include promoting government reengineering to enhance its professionalism and administrative efficiency; accelerating judicial reforms to improve the credibility of the judicial system; and promoting legislative reforms.
Lien also promised to ensure that the "rights of peace" of all the people in Taiwan will not be infringed, in line with the international trend of putting human rights above sovereignty.
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