DPP-allied group likely to lambaste new government

The Taipei Association (澄社) plans to release a strongly-worded critique of the new government today, the association's chief said yesterday.

"The ruling party has disappeared," the United Evening News quoted Chiu Hei-yuan (瞿海源) as saying. Chiu also criticized President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) for not doing enough to coordinate the five branches of government.

The Taipei Association is a respected group of intellectuals, usually seen as sympathetic to the DPP. However, Chiu stressed the association's neutrality yesterday, saying it did not support any of the candidates in the presidential election, even though some members supported Chen.

Chiu also slammed the new government for political interference in the recent personnel appointments at two state-owned TV stations: Taiwan Television Enterprise (台視) and Chinese Television System (華視).

The paper is also expected to criticize the government's lack of consistent policy planning, especially in financial and economic policy.

The 25,000 character paper was written over a three-week period by five members of the group, including Chiu himself.