Political focus remains on Lee

Though former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia once said there was no Republican or Democratic way to clean the streets, Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday showed that there was a Taiwan way.

Lee, 78, the former president and ex-chairman of the KMT, joined volunteers yesterday to clean up the streets around his Waishuang Creek neighborhood in Taipei's Shihlin District, saying he was doing so out of love for "our homeland."

The high-profile community event came less than 24 hours after Lee shared the stage with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), confirming in the minds of many that Lee and Chen have joined forces to help pro-Taiwan lawmakers win control of the legislature in the year-end elections.

"In order to build a beautiful homeland, citizens should not litter or dump trash and household waste in the street. Everyone should maintain cleanliness to restore nature's original beauty," Lee said.

"Since I moved here, I have always wished to take part in the cleaning duties of the community. The purpose of my participating is to arouse people's awareness and love for the environment and of our homeland."

But Lee yesterday refrained from commenting on questions concerning his relations with Chen and the formation of a political party of Lee's followers.

Huang Chu-wen (黃主文), a Lee loyalist and former minister of the interior, said on Saturday a new group of KMT lawmakers would be formed by July to counter the alliance forged by People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) and KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰).

The group is centered around Lee's "localization" and "Taiwan first" policies, which have been abandoned by Lien since he took over the KMT's helm from Lee last year. The pro-Lee politicians are expected to work closely with the DPP in the legislature.

In the afternoon, Lee autographed copies of the book, The President in the Tiger's Mouth (虎口的總統), penned by notable Japanese writer Fuyuko Kamisada.

Kamisada, who was present at the event, said that in the book she had sought to provide an account of Taiwan's history after World War II through the life stories of Lee and his wife, Tseng Wen-hui (曾文惠).

The book also touched upon Lee's relationships with Lien and President Chen.

In the book, Kamisada wrote how Lee was galled by Lien's betrayal when Lien told him to step down from his post as the KMT chairman after last year's presidential elections, saying the sooner he did so the better.

The book also said that Lee holds high expectations of Chen.

Lee told reporters yesterday that Kamisada's book was "absolutely accurate and reliable."