Leading doctors yesterday affirmed the medical profession's traditional support for the pan-green camp, describing a recent pro-blue camp advertisement featuring former National Taiwan University (NTU) Hospital superintendent Yang Ssu-piao (
"NTU hospital has always been like a Democratic Progressive Party support community. I'd say the ratio of [President] Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) supporters to [Chinese Nationalist Party Chairman] Lien Chan (連戰) supporters is about nine to one," said Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit.
The medical community has traditionally been viewed as a stronghold of the pan-green camp.
PHOTO: CHEN TSE-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
However, in the advertisement on the front page of Monday's edition of the Liberty Times, Yang wrote:
"The Republic of China and the People's Republic of China are both a part of China. They are not two separate countries, nor are they two countries on each side of the Taiwan Strait."
Yesterday, around 60 prominent members of the medical community, including Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance president Wu Shuh-min (
"If he paid for the advertisement himself, then I might be able to respect him a little more. However, I suspect that is not the case here," Twu said.
"I love my old teacher, but I love truth more," he said.
Twu also said that he spoke for the views of former DOH head Lee Ming-liang (李明亮), who was unable to attend.
While Yang's wife told reporters yesterday that he had shelled out a total of NT$200,000 for the advertisement, the Liberty Times advertising department said that the advertisement had been sold for NT$600,000.
"I wrote the open letter that was published in the newspaper because I have been very disappointed with the Chen administration these past four years," Yang said.
"I definitely did not take money from anyone to do this," he said.
He added that if Lien did not perform well in office it would be appropriate to support another candidate in the future.
But Yang's comments did not satisfy one medical professional.
"Yang is the medical community's equivalent of Buddhist Master Wei Chueh (
"And as such, I trust that his attempts will backfire just as they did for the monk," he said.
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