Mon, Apr 26, 2004 - Page 3 News List

Newsmakers: Sisy Chen falls out of favor with blues

TARGET The independent legislator now has enemies on both sides of the political spectrum, with members of the opposition alliance having turned against her

By Huang Tai-lin  /  STAFF REPORTER

An obdurate critic of Chen Shui-bian, Sisy Chen's skillfulness in media strategy as well as her former ties to the DPP gave Lien and Soong confidence in her, Yang said.

Terming Sisy Chen's relationship with the KMT and the PFP as "one of mutual interest," Yang described Sisy Chen as skillful at politics and public relations.

She "knows what power is and how to manipulate power," Yang said.

TV host Clara Chou (周玉蔻) compared Sisy Chen to the Empress Dowager Tzu-hsi (慈禧太后) of the Manchu Dynasty, who manipulated the 5-year-old Emperor Te Tsong (德宗) like a puppet.

"Sisy Chen is not a mere guest adviser [to the pan-blue camp], but is one like the Empress Dowager Tzu-hsi, who administered affairs from behind the scenes," Chou said.

Yang added that, "We should feel relieved that Lien was not elected, for otherwise one would be left to wonder based on whose orders and opinions the country is being run."

Sisy Chen has also been criticized for acting as both a legislator and a talk-show host.

She hosts a radio talk show as well as a nationwide TV political commentary program on a KMT-affiliated station.

Despite her declaration that she would withdraw from the media if DPP Legislator Trong Chai (蔡同榮) gave up his job as chairman of Formosa Television (FTV), she can still be seen on her TV program. Tsai gave up his chairmanship of FTV last August.

Saying that the public's long-held suspicions about Sisy Chen's dual roles in politics and the media were proven valid in her recent remarks, DPP Legislator Luo Wen-chia (羅文嘉) said, "All was far more serious than the public had imagined."

"If politicians do not know how to conduct themselves, we have to resort to laws and regulations to eliminate and preclude such events from happening," Luo said, adding that it is his aim to push for an amendment to the Broadcasting and Television Law (廣電法) to make it illegal for politicians to double as media hosts.

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