Chen vows change with majority

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday pledged that he is willing to resign from his presidency if the pan-greens win a majority in the legislature and he still cannot govern the nation well.

Chen made the vow during a campaign rally held in Kaohsiung City last night.

During the rally, Chen once again said that it was imperative that the pan-greens are successful in the legislative elections, adding that the pan-blues have exploited their majority in the legislature while attempting to paralyze the government over the past three years.

Chen said, when he took over the office of Taipei Mayor in 1998, he told Taipei's citizens that he would improve Taipei's notorious traffic situation within two years. After his determined efforts, the traffic situation was improved.

"I believed that if people of Taiwan could give us a chance and support the pan-green camp to win a majority in the legislature -- only give us two years and I promise that I will do a good job as a president and lead the country to become a great, normal and complete country," Chen said. "Otherwise, I am willing to step down as president."

Chen added that Kaohsiung City Government, which is supported by a pan-green controlled City Council, provides an example of a government that can really do something good for citizens.

Chen also promised that if the pan-greens win a majority in the legislature, the government will pass a National Pension Law (國民年金法) which will allow senior citizens aged 65 or older to receive a monthly pension of NT$7,500.

Legislation governing the Resolution Trust Cooperation (金融重建基金, RTC) would also be a priority issue for the new legislature, Chen said.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday held a campaign rally in northern Kaohsiung City to boost its legislative candidates Kuan Pi-ling (管碧玲), Lee Kun-tse (李昆澤), Lin Chin-hsing (林進興) and Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) candidate Tsenng Tsan-teng (曾燦燈).

Noticeably, the five candidates did not boast about themselves. Instead, they showered praise on their fellow candidates, showing that the united pan-green campaign strategy and vote allocation plan is working.

Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), Cabinet Spokesman Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), DPP caucus whip Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) and Council of Labor Affairs Chairwoman Chen Chu (陳菊) all attended the rally to stump for the pan-green camp candidates.

Meanwhile, early in the day before attending the rally in Kaohsiung City, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) flew to Hualien County to campaign for DPP candidate Lu Po-chi (盧博基).

There he called on people of different ethnic groups to get along with each other and stressed that only if Taiwan's people unite can the country face threats from outside.

"It is undeniable that Taiwan has different ethnic groups. But everyone has to know we only have one country," Chen said. "I believe that Taiwan has no ethnic problem, but only a problem of national identification."

In his speech, Chen redefined the "five ethnic groups" proposed by Sun Yat-sen (孫中山), pointing out that the five ethnic groups who reside in Taiwan are Hoklo, Hakka, Aborigine, Mainlanders and foreigners -- including brides from Southeast Asian countries and China.

"It is unnecessary for a small number of ethnic groups to bear historical burdens," Chen said. "Under the principle of the DPP's Resolution on Ethnic Diversity and National Unity, there was no oppressor and victim. Everyone is equal and everyone is the owner of the land."