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Legislative elections and referendums: Wu slams Chen for TV attacks on the KMT

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) yesterday accused President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) of using pro-green media outlets to attack the KMT for election purposes, daring Chen to hold a debate with him on TV in his capacity as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman.

"Chen Shui-bian has promoted the DPP and attacked the KMT on TV during one-hour and two-hour interviews as president," Wu said yesterday after attending an exhibition of photos and artifacts related to former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) at the Chang Yung-fa Foundation.

"What kind of president, who can get whatever interviews he wants, spares no effort to promote a particular party while suppressing another?" he said.

Wu said that Formosa TV had invited him for an interview after broadcasting an interview with Chen on Tuesday, but then canceled it two hours later, suggesting the station had canceled his interview "under certain pressure."

Arguing that the KMT is facing an "unfair election," Wu invited Chen to hold a televised debate with him in his capacity as DPP chairman rather than in his capacity as president.

Wu accused Chen and the Central Election Commission (CEC) of intending to create chaos during Saturday's legislative elections and was concerned over the possibility of ballot recounts on the day.

Because the CEC will allow ballots cast into the wrong boxes to be counted, there could be valid ballots coming from other boxes after the results are announced, which could result in ballot recount requests in districts with small winning margins, Wu said.

The KMT says there are more than 10 districts where the KMT and DPP candidates are neck and neck and those districts may require recounts.

In order to prevent disputes on election day, the KMT has set up response centers in eight cities and counties governed by the pan-green camp.

Formed by lawyers, civil servants and legislators, the centers will provide legal counseling services and other support if candidates require a ballot recount, said Liao Fung-te (廖風德), the head of the KMT's organization and development committee.

Meanwhile, in response to Chen's claim that if the KMT seized two-thirds of the legislative seats, DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) would be impeached by the legislature if he became president, KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said the legislature would only impeach a corrupt president.

"President Chen made those comments because of his own experiences. The legislature tried to impeach him as a result of his corruption. I don't think future presidents will face that situation," Ma said.
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