Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
"[Taipei] residents have the right to choose whom they believe is the best, or in comparison, the better one, to be their mayor," said Ma. "That's where the value of democracy lies; everyone should affirm it and not question it."
Ma was speaking at the official opening of his campaign headquarters on Pateh Road yesterday.
"Chen is the president now, yet he still can't get over his loss of the mayoral election four years ago, but keeps on questioning where were Taipei residents then and why didn't they vote for him," said Ma.
"Such talk is itself an act that questions the value of democracy," Ma said.
Ma was referring to remarks made by Chen on Friday night at a campaign rally held by DPP Taipei City mayoral candidate Lee Ying-yuan (
While stumping for Lee and urging Taipei residents to support Lee's mayoral bid, Chen during the rally touched upon his loss in his mayoral re-election bid despite polls showing that he, as Ma appears to be now, was in the lead.
"Although Chen had done well during his mayoral tenure and had also enjoyed high support in the polls, that does not mean residents do not have the right to choose a better mayor," Ma said.
Ma also said any other Taipei resident can have the job of mayor if that resident can promise a better tomorrow for Taipei and earn the trust of the general public in the city.
"That's what democracy is about," Ma said.
Ma's campaign headquarters is on the first and second floors of the KMT-owned Pa-te Building which was also the campaign headquarters of then-president Lee Teng-hui (
At the opening ceremony Ma appealed to Taipei residents to give him another four years to develop Taipei City.
Several KMT heavyweights, including party chairman Lien Chan, Legislative Yuan Vice Speaker Chiang Ping-kun (
The opening celebration was, however, interrupted, by a demonstration by a group claiming to residents of badly built dwellings Taipei. The group wanted Ma to promise to demolish and rebuild their houses which they claimed were in danger of collapsing.
Police were called in to restore order.
Meanwhile, the Lee Ying-yuan campaign launched a new series of TV spots yesterday attacking Ma's record in eradicating drugs.
"Ma promised to clamp down the city's drug problems, but what we see in fact is that Taipei police have helped cover-up the use of Ecstasy," said Peng Tien-haw (彭天豪), a spokesperson of Lee's campaign.
Pong was referring to a scandal in July in which eight police officers from the Chungshan Precinct were suspected of having invested in an "Ecstasy club" and taking the illegal drug.
"An iron hand and strong will and determination is needed to solve the city's drug issues," said Pong. "Let Lee do the job which Ma has failed to do."
That was Lee's second series of campaign TV spots. Lee's first series of TV spots attacked Ma's record in eradicating the city's sex industry.
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