DPP expects 600,000 at nationwide parades

About 600,000 people are expected to take part in the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) nationwide parades tomorrow, party officials said.

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) will both attend the hand-in-hand rally in Taipei County to build up momentum for DPP candidate Luo Wen-chia's (羅文嘉) campaign.

Su and DPP Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) yesterday held a news conference to announce detailed plans for the parades that will be held simultaneously in 19 cities and counties tomorrow afternoon.

To make sure of retaining the important electoral district of Sanchung (三重), Chen and Su will both attend a massive rally in Sanchung, where participants are expected to start gathering at around 3:20pm.

A human chain will be formed from the Kuantu Bridge (關渡橋) to Showlang Bridge (秀朗橋).

About 100,000 people are expected at the parade in Taipei County, which would make it the biggest campaign activity of the day.

Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) will take part in a parade in Taichung County, Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) will go to Pingtung County and Presidential Office Secretary-General Yu Shyi-kun will join the parade in Ilan County.

Su urged members of the public to join in the activities and use their votes to give voice to their desire for reform and progress.

Commenting on the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) "anti-corruption parade," which will also be held tomorrow, Su said it was ironic that the KMT would be the party to make the biggest fuss about corruption.

"Not only did the KMT take bribes collectively and systematically when it was the ruling party, each of its nominees has a record tainted by corruption," Su said.

"The KMT's parade is simply a joke. It should examine itself before staging such an activity," he said.