KMT officials promised yesterday to push for an NT$10 billion fund to help the unemployed start new businesses should the party remains the largest in the legislature after the Dec. 1 polls.
In addition, party officials said the government should set aside another NT$100 billion to help farmers cope with the effects of Taiwan's entry into the WTO. KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) made the promises yesterday during rallies held in Keelung and Ilan County, where the unemployment rate is 5.7 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively.
Lien blamed the nation's economic woes on the DPP, who he said had failed to put forth any substantial policies as Taiwan experiences its worst economic downturn in recent memory.
"Instead of working out a solution, the ruling party is blaming this person today and blaming another tomorrow. Everybody has been blamed," Lien said.
Lien accused the DPP of dropping the port city of Keelung as part of an overall plan to develop Taiwan into a business-operations hub in the Asia-Pacific region. "Over the past one and a half years of the DPP being in power, we have seen nothing. All the plans are gone," Lien said.
Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) also attacked the DPP on the economic front yesterday. "A mistaken policy is worse than corruption," Ma said while stumping in Hualien County. Ma claimed that people's wealth has shrunk significantly since the DPP took power.
Taipei's mayor also took issue with the DPP's decision to scrap the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, which was later reversed. The delay cost the government NT$3.4 billion, Ma said.
RSS