Chen rallies DPP forces down south

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday made the first of what is expected to be many campaign stops in the lead-up to the Dec. 1 elections -- and called for a rotation of parties in the legislature.

Before a crowd of cheering supporters in his hometown in Tainan County, Chen said the nation's first-ever transfer of power at the executive level wasn't enough.

It's time for the legislature to change hands, too, the president said.

"This is the premier voyage of the century for the country's democratic and economic development," Chen said, drawing an allusion to his recently published book, The Premier Voyage of the Century (世紀首航).

"The first-ever transfer of power is not enough to facilitate the country's democracy," Chen said. "We need to initiate political reforms in a second phase by having a rotation of political parties in the legislature."

The president urged voters to unite and help the DPP -- which controls 66 of the legislature's 225 seats -- to become the majority party.

In addition, he said the DPP would continue its efforts to rid the country of "black gold" politics and said his administration was serious about eliminating vote-buying from the upcoming polls.

Chen also yesterday threw his support behind the county's plan to develop Tainan into a center for high-technology and the biotech industry.

"We'll take root firmly in Taiwan, pushing the goal of [economic] globalization," Chen said.

The Tainan Science-based Industrial Park will soon become home to some of the world's most advanced chipmaking fabs, operated by TSMC.

Yu Shyi-kun, secretary-general to the president, joined Chen on the campaign trail yesterday, appealing for the public to understand the challenges that have faced the administration during its first 500 days -- and put in a plug for Chen's book.

"The president has written down all his guidelines for running the county in his book. It's worth of reading," Yu said.

He also urged voters to cast their votes for DPP candidates, saying a vote for them is a vote for the president.

The party has nominated Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智) to run for Tainan County commissioner. Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津), Lee Chun-yee (李俊毅) and Chen Tang-shan (陳唐山) are among the DPP's five legislative candidates who hope to represent Tainan in the legislature.

Su called attention to his record as a legislator, in particular his efforts to pass a national pension program.

"We are facing an uphill battle here," Su said.

"I'd like to say that, without my taking the initiative 11 years ago, how could the pension program of had any chance of passage in the legislature?" the candidate said.

Yeh urged voters to support the DPP's call for an investigation of the KMT's assets, most of which she said once belonged to the state and should be returned to the public.