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KMT caucus, Ma, Chen spar over urn

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou, center, dressed as a ``Cloth-horse Champion,'' performs with a master of the traditional cloth-horse formation art, Lin Rong-chuen, front, during a visit to Yuanshan Township in Ilan County. PHOTO: CNA

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus attacked President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday over his accusation on Sunday that the engraving on the urn of KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) father could prove that Ma's loyalty to the nation was a lie.

KMT caucus whip Kuo Su-chun (郭素春) told a press conference that the president's remarks were "unethical" and an "insult" to the Taiwanese's virtuous spirit.

"As the national leader, he should feel ashamed for what he said," Kuo said.

Chen said Ma had lied to voters on Saturday when he stressed his love and identity with Taiwan.

"If Taiwan were truly Ma's homeland as he claims, then why doesn't the word `Taiwan' appear on his father's urn? Instead, the inscription only mentions building a greater China," the president said on Sunday.

He said the inscription on Ma Ho-ling's (馬鶴凌) urn read "Oppose independence with gradual unification, strengthen China and work towards unification." He said he had sent "someone to verify it this morning."

Kuo said the president had misinterpreted the engraving.

Kuo said it should be read as "Transform independence with gradual unification" rather than "Oppose independence."

"Although Ma Ho-ling supported unification with China, he talked about Taiwanese independence with tolerance and benevolence," KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) told the press conference.

"What's more, what does a father's ideals have to do with his son's?" Wu said.

Wu said Chen should also slam Taiwan Sugar Corp chairman Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) and his mother, former Kaohsiung County commissioner Yu Chen Yueh-ying (余陳月瑛), because the businessman's grandfather Yu Teng-fa (余登發) once said "supporting Taiwanese independence meant betraying the Chinese people."

When asked for comment in Ilan yesterday, Ma said the president had made a "wrong" remark.

But the president remained on the offensive in Kaohsiung yesterday, saying Ma's commitment to Taiwan was false.

"Apparently the deceased [Ma's father] thought nothing about Taiwan but only of China," Chen said. "What he had in mind was to see Taiwan unify with China."

Chen said that Taiwan was a nation and the name of the land. The reason that he used Ma's father as an example was to remind the KMT candidate that he must be sincere when he talks about his love for Taiwan and identification with it.

If Ma genuinely cared about Taiwan, Chen said, he should publicly proclaim that his home is Taiwan and that Taiwan is the name of his country.

The president was in Kaohsiung yesterday to unveil a plaque at the southern office of the Fishery Agency.

Demonstrators on six fishing boats staged a protest at sea during Chen's speech at the unveiling.

Port authorities, Coast Guard Administration personnel and national security personnel boarded larger fishing boats to restrain the demonstrators.

The protesters were complaining about the Southern Coastal Patrol Office declaring their catches to be bootlegged fish smuggled in from China.

Meanwhile, The KMT caucus also lashed out at Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) over a comment he made on Sunday: "Horses [a play on Ma's surname] were meant to be ridden by people."

Calling Hsieh's remark an insult to all Taiwanese surnamed Ma (馬), Wu urged Hsieh to apologize.

Ma, however, downplayed the seriousness of Hsieh's remark, saying that he was running for president because he was willing to fight for the people like a horse.

In other developments, the KMT caucus criticized several major government officials who play important roles in Hsieh's campaign, including Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) and Presidential Office Secretary-General Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭).

"Their official business has now become their part-time jobs while campaigning for Hsieh has become their full-time job," Wu said.
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