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DPP candidate scoffs at allegation of NT$150 bribes

President Chen Shui-bian, right, raises his hands on a visit to a traditional market in Sinjhuang yesterday in support of the Democratic Progressive Party's Taipei County commissioner candidate, Luo Wen-chia, center. Luo carries cabbages, zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) and garlic given to him by supporters at the market as symbols of good luck. PHOTO: LIU HSIN-DE, TAIPEI TIMES

The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Taipei County candidate said yesterday that the pan-blue camp's claims that his campaign team had paid people NT$150 each to attend a rally on Sunday were an insult to Taipei County voters' intelligence.

DPP candidate Luo Wen-chia (羅文嘉) added that he would never stoop to vote-buying tactics.

Luo said that DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) had failed to be re-elected as Pingtung County commissioner in 1993 because of false accusations leveled against him by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate, Wu Tzer-yuan (伍澤元).

Although Su's innocence was eventually proven, the proof came too late to prevent his defeat in the election.

"Chou and the pan-blue camp want to win the election by repeating this strategy. If we allow this trick to succeed, Taiwan will never be able to move forward. It would also give candidates the mistaken impression that negative campaigning or lies are the most effective election strategies," Luo said.

He urged voters to use common sense in evaluating the accusations, saying that NT$150 was unlikely to be enough to convince anybody of anything.

Luo said that the pan-blue camp underestimated voters' wisdom.

"People who try to use illegitimate means to manipulate the outcome of the election will be unmasked and will eventually be unable to face voters. I'm confident of voters' discernment and believe that they will not be fooled by such negative campaigning," Luo said.

DPP Legislator Lee Wen-chung (李文忠), Luo's campaign manager, said yesterday that he would resign as lawmaker if the pan-blue accusation is proved to be true, and that Luo would drop out of the election.
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