Yu apologizes for DPP shortcomings

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Yu Shyi-kun yesterday apologized for the party falling short of people's expectations over the past six years.

At the party's two-day national convention which started yesterday, Yu in his keynote speech vowed to restore the party's founding spirit, rid the policy-making model that is guided by "one-man leadership" and build a transparent governing system, bringing the party back to a progressive track.

Titled "Taking Responsibility Bravely," the convention is being held at the Taipei International Convention Center and comes amid a string of scandals alleging corruption among President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) senior aides and in-laws, which has battered the DPP's image.

Several reform proposals were passed during yesterday's session.

Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) in a speech proposed three goals to the convention: exposing corruption and the abuse of political power; addressing the use of fictitious party members, also called "phantom members;" and preventing infighting among factions.

An efficient judicial system, professionalism and a global view should be principles for building "Taiwan into a beautiful country," she said.

Showing a card with an excerpt from Chen's statement, which he issued late on Friday night, Lu praised the president's words and urged DPP members to work to promote people's quality of life rather than contending for power or position.

Encouraging DPP members to be humble in the face of fierce criticism from the public, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said that "the DPP must mend its ways and do its best to serve the people" as the party will soon celebrate its 20th founding anniversary.

Items passed yesterday included exempting each DPP borough chief from being required to raise a specific amount of funds for the party. It was hoped that this policy would encourage more borough chiefs to join the DPP.

Yesterday's convention also introduced all the candidates for year-end elections, in which the party's Taipei mayoral candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Chen Chu (陳菊), as well as candidates for Taipei and Kaohsiung city councilors outlined their resolutions and vision.

The focal point of the convention, however, is a proposal that the DPP should dissolve its factions.

DPP legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) yesterday proposed a separate pact, calling for "self-restraint" among factions, saying the party would not be able to solve problems resulting from factional competition simply through a resolution that dissolves them.

Ker's proposal would request that the factions refrain from attacking each other or raising funds in the name of a faction. It also urges factions to develop a policy direction for the party and the country, and to interact benignly with other factions.

"Dissolving the factions is not a permanent cure; on the contrary, it might force factional activities underground," Ker said.

Ker said that the DPP's factions actually had a positive function and were the historical product of the party's growth. About 30 lawmakers from different factions signed in support of the pact.

DPP Legislator Wang Sing-nan (王幸男) said he had no comment on Ker's proposal, but asked the DPP to let delegates vote on his proposal to dissolve the factions, along with Ker's proposal today.