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Chen praises Ketagalan graduates

President Chen Shui-bian presents new chairwoman of China Development Financial Holding Corp Diana Chen with a graduation souvenir. PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday urged graduates of the Ketagalan Institute to uphold democracy and be loyal to no one but the people of Taiwan.

"The Ketagalan Institute would never ask its disciples to follow any belief except democracy, nor would it ask them to pledge loyalty to anyone except the Taiwanese people," Chen, founder of the institute, said yesterday at the graduation ceremony of the institute's of national leadership and development course.

Thirty-eight of the 40 class members finished the three-month course. The class was comprised of a number of well-known faces, including the new chairwoman of China Development Financial Holding Corp Diana Chen (陳敏薰), DPP legislative caucus whip Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) and chairman of Taiwan Salt Industrial Corp Cheng Pao-ching (鄭寶清), a former DPP lawmaker.

Chen called the graduates members "seeds of democracy" poised to imbue the democratic spirit into our society and become the pillars upon which Taiwan advances its democratic evolution and national development.

However, Chen said there is high price to pay for harvesting the fruits of democracy.

"Countries that have evolved from an autocratic regime to a democratic system will necessarily experience a rigorous transformation," Chen said. "The fruits of these hardships are usually not enjoyed until some time later," Chen said.

"But we should not be daunted by the pain brought by the reforms, because if we can't break through the bottlenecks, our next generation will be forced to bear more consequences and responsibilities," Chen said.

Hitting back at claims from opposition parties that the facility was established to serve Chen's political ends, the president said yesterday that the Ketegalan Institute does not belong to any political party, nor provide service to any particular individual.

"As the founder of the school, I have never interfered with its operation either in the course planning or recruiting," Chen said.

The president also congratulated the students, saying "ideals, wisdom and confidence" are the best tools to achieve their goals.

Chen commended the institute's principal Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟), former presidential secretary general and the deputy principal You Ying-lung (游盈隆), former DPP's Vice Secretary General to continue reinforcing the courses and teaching faculties for the institute to make it one of the nation's top think tanks and to fortify Taiwan's democratic development.
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