Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) said yesterday the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) shouldn't be surprised that it got trounced in the Dec. 3 local elections, because it has been "inattentive" to the public's needs and has broken its promises to voters.
Lee made the remarks at a fundraising event held by the Northern Taiwan Society (NTS) yesterday afternoon.
Lee pointed out that although the pan-blue camp controls the legislature, the DPP government cannot attribute it miserable performance solely to the opposition parties' boycotts, since the DPP has not fulfilled its promises to the people and has therefore fallen short of their expectations.
Idle Government
"The DPP government is just so inattentive in leading the country," Lee said. "Taiwan is not the only country that has to face the fact that the opposition parties dominate the legislature. For example, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party did a good job in dealing with just such a political predicament and did not let the government stay idle. Why can't Taiwan do the same?"
Lee then denounced DPP politicians for caring only about personal and factional interests after it took power, and for being unable to figure out how to overcome its weak position in the Legislative Yuan. The party has manipulated people's expectations with campaign rhetoric, Lee said.
"It's no wonder that the DPP suffered such an unprecedented setback in the three-in-one elections. Its inconsistent and changeable attitudes towards policy-making have made the people run out of patience," Lee said.
Backsliding
Lee singled out a campaign commitment that President Chen Shui-bian (
"[Chen] thought he could cheat people into believing that his short-term manipulation was a response to their longing to build a country," Lee said.
But Lee also said that this failure does not necessarily mean that the DPP can't succeed again. It all depends on whether the party's leader is resolved to winning back the people's support and trust.
Lee also yesterday urged the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government to consider whether it should go ahead with a second economic development conference before it figures out a clear cross-strait economic policy, and gave three suggestions on how to deal with China and guard Taiwan's sovereignty.
More Advice
Lee then proposed three directions for the government's future polices.
First, he said the government should insist on upholding the identification with Taiwan and eradicate the identification with China that has poisoned the nation.
Second, the government should beef up Taiwan's national security and strongly and firmly oppose China's military buildup.
Third, the government is obligated to tenaciously defend the country and the people's economic interests, and stop the mistaken economic policies that further open up China's market to Taiwanese investors.
In the news conference, NTS chairman Wu Shuh-min (吳樹民) did not forget to urge people to donate NT$100 (US$3) to help gather the necessary amount for the arms sale budget that has been stalled in the legislature.
Lee said that this donation is also a "declaration of war" on the reactionary power that has overwhelmed Taiwan. "Since the government and the legislature won't do it [pass the arms purchase bill], we will do it on our own," Lee said.
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