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Hsieh complains his performance is always criticized

Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday asked the public not to assume that everything he says and does is related to the 2008 presidential race, and lamented that he is bound to be criticized regardless of his actual performance in office.

Hsieh was responding to media criticism that his relief efforts in the wake of last week's typhoon were a politically-motivated bid to raise his profile as a potential DPP candidate for the presidency in 2008.

"After the typhoon's devastation, I realized that I would be condemned no matter what I do. If I do nothing, people will criticize me for being lazy. If I work hard, people will then say that I am doing everything for the presidential campaign. But I cannot ask them to stop imagining things," the premier said.

"It is the premier's natural duty to work for the people instead of creating problems. Please, stop imagining things," he added.

The latest media controversy began on Saturday, when Hsieh accompanied President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on a visit to sites in Tainan County that had been devastated by flooding after the typhoon. During a press conference, Chen was extremely upset and said that "if the same area is flooded again next time, some people may be relieved from their positions as heads of government offices."

The president's comments were widely interpreted as a warning to Hsieh and other Cabinet members, and as an effort by Chen to set back Hsieh's early status as a frontrunner for the DPP candidacy in 2008. Hsieh and DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) are currently considered the two most likely candidates, and media attention has recently highlighted Hsieh. Chen's frustration with the Cabinet was therefore regarded as an attempt to "balance" the early competition.

On Sunday, however, Chen changed his attitude and praised Hsieh and his Cabinet team, saying that the Cabinet has been doing a good job in its rescue operations and helping typhoon victims.

Hsieh said yesterday that people were reading far too much into recent events, and that the public should stop seeing constant political intrigue between the three DPP heavyweights -- Chen, Su and himself -- where there wasn't any.

"I have been busy rescuing and helping typhoon victims, but some people have been busy imagining everything as a parallel to China's `Three Kingdoms' period (三國時代)," the premier said. "Really, please, do not think too much."

Hsieh was referring to the famous period of Chinese history in the second and third century, when three kings were vying with one another to rule all of China.

Yesterday, despite criticism and questioning, Hsieh continued his visits to devastated sites by leaving for Nantou, where he stayed last night. He is scheduled to return to Taipei today.
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