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MORAKOT: THE AFTERMATH: KMT asks CCP to give via Red Cross or MAC

A body is recovered from the floodwaters in Cishan Township, Kaohsiung County, yesterday. PHOTO: AP

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) said yesterday the party would not accept donations from China directly, though China has expressed a wish to help with relief efforts after Typhoon Morakot.

China should make donations through the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) or the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China, he said.

China has communicated “goodwill through the platform between the KMT and Chinese Communist Party [CCP], but the KMT will not accept money or goods. We will refer the CCP to the MAC or civic groups,” Wu said yesterday at a meeting of the KMT’s central standing committee.

Wu said the party had collected NT$10 million (US$300,000) to donate to government relief efforts.

With the nation focused on responding to the disaster, the KMT yesterday postponed its central committee election to Aug. 22 and reminded candidates not to campaign for the time being. The central standing committee election remains scheduled for Sept. 6.

On Tuesday, the KMT revoked the membership of Fan Heng-chi (范姮枝), Kaohsiung’s Jiaxian Township representative, after she hosted a dinner party to solicit support for her bid for the central committee election.

Wu urged all party members to focus on disaster relief work.

“The KMT’s democratic mechanisms [the elections] must be followed, but I urge you all not to damage the party’s reputation at such a sensitive time,” he said.

The central committee and central standing committee elections are supposed to be held before President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) takes over the chairmanship on Sept. 12.

Meanwhile, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) donated US$250,000 yesterday to stricken families.

“The people of the United States of America have been moved by the humanitarian tragedy in Taiwan caused by Typhoon Morakot. On behalf of the American people, AIT would like to convey its deepest sympathy for the victims and their families,” AIT said in a press release.

“At the same time, we are struck by the courage, determination and unity of purpose of the Taiwan people in responding to this crisis,” it said.

AIT donated the money to Taiwan’s Red Cross. The money, provided by the US Agency for International Development, will be used for immediate assistance to households affected by the typhoon, AIT said.

“We are confident the Red Cross will use our contribution in the most efficient and effective manner possible to alleviate the suffering and hardship of the typhoon victims,” AIT said.

The US and AIT have supported the humanitarian work of Taiwan’s Red Cross in previous natural disasters, the US agency said, adding that it appreciated the assistance Taiwan had provided for victims of disasters in the US, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Also yesterday, users of the PTT bulletin board system launched a fundraising drive to purchase food, clean water and other supplies for disaster victims.

“We raised more than NT$100,000 in one hour and purchased relief supplies online,” said Liao Chi-cheng (廖基成), who started the “PTT users disaster relief team.”

With more than 1.5 million registered users, PTT said it would encourage users to help out and coordinate its efforts with local charities such as World Vision Taiwan and the Buddhist Compassionate Relief Tzu Chi Foundation.

Liao said relief supplies including food, water, rain shoes, sleeping bags and bleach, had been delivered to Pingtung County by online suppliers and would be distributed by World Vision Taiwan.

“When the online suppliers realized the orders were for typhoon victims, they also made donations,” Liao said.

Some PTT users in Kaohsiung are also volunteering for the Tzu Chi Foundation and the Kaohsiung County Government, Liao said.
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