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Ma camp agrees to hold debate

Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's campaign chiefs Yeh Chu-lan, right, and Lee Ying-yuan present a letter yesterday in which Hsieh challenged the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate to a public debate. PHOTO: FANG PIN-CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday challenged his Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) rival, Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), to a series of debates, which he said are long overdue.

Hsieh first extended the invitation in October, but Ma has been dodging the issue, Hsieh said, adding that a presidential debate would take place one way or another.

Likening recent bickering between the governing and opposition parties over public issues to something akin to a "civil war," Hsieh said yesterday in a letter addressed to Ma that many people with breadth of vision had expressed concern over the increasing tension between the two camps.

In the letter, Hsieh said that as presidential candidates, he and Ma were duty bound to make known their positions on national issues such as national defense, education, foreign affairs, domestic affairs and the economy.

Saying that they are responsible for improving the political atmosphere, Hsieh proposed that the two hold debates every two weeks or every month.

"It is OK if [Ma Ying-jeou] thinks the debate idea is a bad one or if he thinks he is not ready, but please don't dodge the issue."

Frank Hsieh, DPP presidential candidate

"It will be a competition between two gentlemen," the letter said. "The format doesn't matter, but the issues must focus on national policies and those affecting people's livelihood."

Hsieh campaign manager Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) delivered the letter to KMT headquarters yesterday, where he had a closed-door meeting with KMT Vice Chairman Chan Chun-po (詹春柏), who doubles as Ma's campaign director.

Presidential Office Secretary-General Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), who doubles as Hsieh's campaign director, asked Ma to refrain from acting as a "giant of political double-speak and a dwarf of policy debate."

Chan yesterday accepted Hsieh's invitation for debates and said the two camps would discuss related issues in preparation.

While agreeing to the invitation, Ma spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said later yesterday, however, that Hsieh should instead discuss the issue of civic turmoil with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), as Chen was "the one who caused this `chaotic' situation."

"The Hsieh camp should dissuade Chen from creating more social disturbances rather than debating with Ma. He is turning to the wrong person," Lo said.

At a separate setting later yesterday afternoon, Hsieh said the sooner the debates took place, the better. He urged Ma to refrain from coming up with different excuses to skirt them.

Using the US as an example, Hsieh said that although the US presidential election is one year from now, the candidates have already engaged in heated debates over different issues.

"The people of Taiwan have the absolute right to ask the two presidential candidates to make clear their positions as soon as possible," he said. "It is OK if [Ma] thinks the debate idea is a bad one or if he thinks he is not ready, but please don't dodge the issue."

Hsieh dismissed Lo's comment that Hsieh should have asked Chen to restrain himself and stop causing "social chaos."

"Doesn't he [Ma] keep saying he wants to see the campaign focus on economic issues?" he said. "He should respond to my criticism that his economic policy would raise the government deficit, drive up commodity prices and increase poverty among young people."

Additional reporting by Mo Yan-chih
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