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Ma slams President Chen for `remembering' wrong

"What's wrong with visiting the countryside to communicate with local residents?"

Ma Ying-Jeou, KMT presidential candidate

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday lashed out at President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) for making false accusations against him, while defending his 18-day visit to central Taiwan.

"President Chen said I was against the lifting of martial law, but failed to provide any proof ... Most of his remarks were untrue," Ma said in Nantou County.

Ma made the remarks in response to Chen's interview with the Formosa TV station on Wednesday night.

Chen criticized Ma's stay in central Taiwan as an election tactic and urged Ma to change the name of his party from the "Chinese Nationalist Party" to the "Taiwan Nationalist Party" to demonstrate his loyalty to Taiwan.

Ma said that Chen has made groundless accusations and criticized him during every election campaign he has run in. He called on the president not to mislead the public.

"What's wrong with visiting the countryside to communicate with local residents? President Chen will not participate in this year's election. So why is he so nervous about me?" Ma said.

During the interview, Chen accused Ma of opposing the lifting of martial law and opposing direct elections in a 1991 debate.

Ma said he had never opposed the lifting of martial law or direct elections, adding that the 1991 debate had been about constitutional amendments.

"President Chen is always forgetting the truth so easily and remembering things that are not true," he said.

Celebrating his birthday yesterday, Ma said his birthday wish was for the KMT to win both the legislative and presidential elections next year.
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