New Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday reiterated his determination to clear up problems regarding the party's assets by 2008 during his first meeting with the party's Central Advisory Committee.
"Party assets are not filthy money, but it is time to deal with it. ... I will clean up the asset problem in accordance with the law by 2008 and turn our party back into a clean and efficient organization," Ma said.
Addressing the party's reform plans, Ma said that the KMT should establish its own Taiwan discourse.
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES
sobbing
He sobbed as he talked about a meeting in March with relatives of victims of the 228 Incident, when a son of victim Liao Chin-ping (
"The precious gift from a family member of a 228 victim showed that the KMT has a deep relationship with Taiwan. ... The KMT is not a foreign regime and we should emphasize the connection with Taiwan in our discourse," he said.
While Ma also stressed the importance of passing on the party's wealth of experience to the next generation as part of its reform plan, the KMT's asset problem is seen as the most critical issue the party needs to address in its reform.
Challenge
The pan-green camp challenged Ma's pledge to reform the party after taking over the party leadership.
Both Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and Cheng Chen-lung (程振隆), secretary-general of the Taiwan Solidarity Union, said that if Ma wants the pan-blue alliance to take power in 2008, he must deal with the baggage of the party's ill-gotten assets, return the party to the middle ground and respect the people's right to choose between unification and independence.
Su yesterday called on Ma not to sell the KMT's "stolen party assets" at low prices and then claim to have solved the party's most thorny problem.
"The KMT cannot claim that it has dealt with the party assets that it stole from the national treasury by selling them off and then racking up those spoils," Su said.
No sense
"It makes no sense for the KMT to sell the land of the National Research Institute and then put the money back into the KMT's pockets rather than giving it back to the people," he said.
"I hope Chairman Ma carries out his promises and makes himself a statesman that people can look up to," Su said.
Su was refering to Ma's vow to clear up the KMT's properties issue yesterday in Keelung City while campaigning for the DPP's nominee for the city's mayoral post, Wang Tuoh (
Chaos
When asked about the KMT's chaotic 17th national convention that concluded on Saturday, Su said that it was unavoidable for such an old party to encounter disorderly situations, as it was dealing with the first democratic election within the party since its founding.
"Everyone saw that the KMT's national convention was a mess. I totally understand that taking the helm of a political party is stressful, but as long as you go all-out, people will recognize your efforts," Su said.
"People who cook in kitchens can't fear smoke, and getting scalded by hot water is also a possibility," he said.
In contrast to Su's attitude towards Ma, DPP Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (
`Mistakes'
"Ma made many mistakes in leading the Taipei City Government, and the KMT's internal election had the same problems. I don't see how Ma, who failed to succeed in handling both municipal or party affairs, could vow to take back power [from the DPP]," Lee said.
Lee said that Ma always shifted his responsibilities onto his subordinates whenever scandals or blunders were exposed in the city government, and there was little evidence that Ma paid attention to his mayoral job.
"If Ma persists with this attitude while leading the KMT, chaotic situations like that during its 17th national convention will keep on materializing," Lee said.
Lee also urged the public to supervise the KMT using the same standards that it applies when examining the DPP.
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