Chen points to positive results as mayor

Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), the DPP candidate for president, yesterday presented his policy platform on public safety and vowed to improve social order in the country by raising the National Police Administration to the ministerial level.

He also said that he would choose a talented, high-ranking police official as his Minister of the Interior.

"The situation in communities around the country has become abnormal. We have murderers who now throw insults at the police from the safety of the floor of the Legislative Yuan. Some of these people even use this arrogant maneuvering to earn huge sums of money," said Chen, who was publicizing the latest addition to his white papers on what he will do if he is elected.

Chen said that under the KMT's rule, the crime rate has been on a steady increase nationwide during the past five years, but that public safety in Taipei actually improved during his four-year mayoral term from 1994 to 1998.

"Taipei was chosen as one of top 10 cities in Asia three times by Asiaweek magazine -- the second most-livable city in 1999, the fifth in 1998 and the 10th in 1997. The city never did so well under the guidance of the KMT," he said.

Although Chen lost his mayoral reelection bid in 1998, Asiaweek gave him credit for helping boost Taipei in 1999.

Chen's campaign manager, Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄), also pointed out that official documents from the National Police Administration show that Taiwan's public safety worsened while the KMT's presidential candidate, Lien Chan (連戰), served as premier from 1993 to 1996.

"It proves the notion that `absolute power corrupts absolutely,'" Chang said.

Chen said another achievement he made while in office was regarding then-chief of the Taipei City Police Department, Ting Yuan-chin (丁原進). Chen promoted Ting to the position during his admini-stration because of his outstanding work.

After Chen was voted out of office, the central government promoted Ting to director-general of the National Police Administration (NPA) for his contributions during his time in the Chen administration.

"Ting was the first person from a local police department to be promoted to director-general of the NPA. It stands to reason that the central government promoted Ting because the public security situation in Taipei had improved," Chen said.

In addition, Chen stressed that a deserving, high-ranking police official should be placed in a more important position and that the right person could even become Minister of the Interior.

"Therefore, the National Police Administration should no longer be under the Minister of the Interior. We would raise its status to that of a separate ministry," Chen said.

In the white paper, Chen also advocated that the shifts that police normally work should decrease to eight hours from the current 12 hours and that the regulations regarding retirement should follow the precedent of those in the armed forces -- retiring after 20 years of service or at the age of 50.

"In addition, we will do more to prevent youth crime, establish a community police system, encourage more women to join in public safety work and set up a special committee to study ways to reduce the harmful effects of the media," Chen said.