Taipei mayor downplaying snub

Representatives for Taipei mayor's office say not to read too much into former president Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) decision not to invite Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to a community clean-up event.

The event, scheduled for tomorrow in the city's Shihlin District, is a part of Lee's efforts to rid the Waishuang Creek of trash.

City officials said not to interpret Ma's lack of an invitation as a snub and called on the media to stop politicizing the community activity.

According to Liao Lee (廖鯉), senior counselor at the mayor's office, the event's coordinator had originally asked Ma whether he would be willing to attend, but in the end it was decided the mayor wouldn't be receiving an invitation.

"While we were discussing whether to participate in the event after the first phone call, they told us in a second phone call that they didn't intend to invite any government officials since it was a community event," Liao said.

Chan Chun-po (詹春柏), director-general of the Taipei City chapter of the KMT and an invited guest, said the apparent snub wasn't meant to be an "unfriendly" gesture.

"Because it's an environmental and charitable event, and Lee would like to make it a community program, it makes perfect sense not to invite any significant government officials," Chan said.

Chan said that he would try to persuade KMT city councilors to take part in the clean-up drive.

The event, called "Clean River, Clean Minds" (淨溪淨人心), is a community effort to collect trash along Waishuang Creek. But some political watchers believe that few city councilors are likely to participate in tomorrow's event because they are upset by Lee's recent criticism of KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰).

Although Ma certainly won't be present tomorrow, several of the city's bureaus and departments will be represented. They include the environmental protection bureau, health bureau and Shihlin police precinct.

The clean-up drive, which is organized by the Taiwan Junior Chamber (國際青年商會) and the Taipei City Environmental Protection Volunteer Squad (台北市環保義工大隊), is likely to attract hun-dreds of participants.

Lee and his wife currently live in an upscale villa near Waishuang Creek.