Chen questions Ma's patriotism

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday continued his attack on Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) national loyalty, saying that Ma lacked a sense of national identity.

"Ma's lack of national identity shows in his conduct," Chen said.

Speaking last night at a campaign rally for DPP mayoral candidate Lee Ying-yuan (李應元), Chen referred to a furor last December when Ma asked fans not to bring the national flag into the stadium for Asian Football Confederation Women's Championship games.

At the rally, Chen also criticized Ma's proposed plan to use Sungshan Domestic Airport as a base for direct cross-strait flights.

Chen lashed out at Ma, saying that the idea put national security in jeopardy.

"Ma should not put national security aside for the sake of convenience," Chen said, pointing out that were China to launch a surprise attack under cover of civilian air links then using Sungshan for such links would lead to the rapid fall of the capital city.

It was better that the airport be removed out of Taipei City to make way for a "Central Park" like the one in New York City, as Lee has proposed, the president said.

The rally marked Chen's third appearance on the stump for Lee.

Noting that former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) had campaigned for Ma in the last mayoral election while he was still president, Chen dismissed criticism that accused him for being too involved in this campaign.

Aside from Chen, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and several DPP heavyweights including party Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) and Taipei County Commissioner Su Chen-chang (蘇貞昌) also showed up at the rally last night to show their support.

"Aside from engaging in a busy schedule for the purposes of media exposure, what has Ma really accomplished?" Lu said.

Prior to the rally, a three-hour street procession was held by Lee's camp yesterday afternoon.

The campaign team drove through Tachih, Neihu, Nankang, Sungshan and Hsinyi districts with the president sharing an open topped jeep with Lee.

Ma also held a campaign rally last night at Ta-an Forest Park. The rally was a low-key affair featuring a musical concert on Hakka-related themes. A number of Hakka personalities turned out in support of Ma who, dressed in Hakka traditional costume, spoke of Taipei's multi-culturalism and appealed to the crowd to give him another four years to develop Taipei.