People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday urged all parties to put aside partisan interests and focus their energy on restoring economic prosperity.
"The people are fed up with constant wrangling among rival parties," he said.
"What they really care about is where the government is leading the country -- details of policies that will influence their everyday lives."
To address the problem, he said, the PFP has named three economic scholars as its top three legislative candidates-at-large.
Soong was in central Taiwan campaigning for fellow legislative candidates in the Dec. 1 polls.
The opposition leader, however, refused to comment on suggestions by some New Party heavyweights that his party merge with the KMT and the New Party in a bid to unseat President Chen Shui-bian (
"My fellow people, the PFP is not fighting to be the largest party in the legislature," Soong told a mass rally. "Rather, we are committed to serving the people and elevating the nation's political culture."
The KMT and the DPP have been trading barbs over the allocation of funds for various welfare programs, Soong said, adding that as a former provincial governor, he knew the pain of having budgets cut back.
However, he said, inadequate finance never dampened his enthusiasm to serve the people.
"Whenever natural disasters struck, I took the initiative to offer help to local administrators, regardless of their party affiliations," he said.
He said voters could trust PFP candidates to put in the most effort to promote public welfare if elected on Dec. 1.
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