Chen downplays Shen Fu-hsiung's election remark

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday called on Taiwanese to have faith in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the upcoming elections, dismissing former DPP legislator Shen Fu-hsiung's (沈富雄) call to vote against DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) if the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) wins 60 percent of the legislative seats in January.

Chen said that while "someone" had spread a rumor that the DPP would lose in the legislative election, DPP supporters must unite and prove its opponents wrong.

"Let's wait and see whether he was hasty," Chen said.

Chen made the comments in Taichung City, where he visited temples and stumped for DPP district legislative candidates Tsai Ming-hsien (蔡明憲), Hsieh Ming-yuan (謝明源) and Ho Min-hao (何敏豪).

Meanwhile, Hsieh yesterday criticized Shen for asking him to consider resigning from the DPP over differences with Chen and former DPP chairman Yu Shyi-kun on the direction the party should take.

Hsieh thanked Shen for his concern, but said he would not quit the party as he identifies with the DPP's ideals.

"I am one of the drafters of the DPP Charter and the party platform," Hsieh said. "I was also involved in the enactment of the party's two resolutions concerning the country's international status."

Hsieh said he was astonished to hear Shen argue that a party member should withdraw if he or she has opinions that are at odds with the party.

Shen said on Monday that Hsieh should consider leaving the party because his "not so green" views and the "deep green" path embraced by Chen and Yu were confusing to DPP supporters.

On Shen's call to dump Hsieh if the KMT wins 60 percent of the legislative seats in January, Hsieh said Taiwanese would be disgusted by such remarks.