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Pro-independence groups back Hsieh for president

Pro-independence groups yesterday endorsed Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), saying Taiwan cannot afford to return to one-party rule following the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) victory in Saturday's legislative elections.

The DPP suffered a bruising defeat in Saturday's elections, securing only 27 out of 113 legislative seats. The KMT won 81 seats, securing a comfortable two-thirds majority in the legislature.

Northern Taiwan Society president Chang Shyue-yih (張學逸) told the press conference that it was dangerous to let one party control both the Cabinet and legislature.

The nation's democracy could have a slim chance of survival if Hsieh is elected, he said.

Former senior presidential adviser Koo Kwang-ming (辜寬敏) called on the DPP and its supporters to be patient in the run-up to the presidential election in March.

Koo said Hsieh has the full support of pro-independence groups.

Although the DPP won only 36 percent of the second-ballot legislative vote, the support base is secure, he said.

Reverend Kao Chun-ming (高俊明) of the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan described the DPP's election defeat as the defeat of the Taiwanese people. He urged the DPP and voters to be humble and admit their mistakes.

But the public has no time to mourn the loss, because they must focus on the next election, he said.

Former senior presidential adviser Wu Li-pei (吳澧培) said he did not dare to imagine what would happen if the executive and legislative branches of the government were both controlled by one party again.

Wu said the public should give the DPP a second chance and the DPP must engage in introspection and rekindle the public's passion.

Taiwan Association of University Professors chairman Tsay Ting-kuei (蔡丁貴) said the DPP had lost the legislative elections because it did a poor job at governing the nation.

But the KMT does not deserve to govern, because it buys votes, Tsay said.

In light of the failure of the two referendums held in conjunction with the legislative elections, Tsay proposed a referendum seeking the abolition of the Referendum Law (公投法) and another on changing the electoral system for the legislative elections.
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