At a campaign rally in Taoyuan yesterday, People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) questioned President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) proposed “golden decade” policy, saying Ma hasn’t accomplished his policies in four years in office and that he should not talk about a “golden decade.”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) was not the only political party to receive Soong’s criticism.
The presidential hopeful said the rivalry between the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the KMT has been going on for a decade, but the people haven’t received any benefits from either party.
Photo: CNA
“One party was corrupt when it was in power and the other party’s been in power for four years with nothing to show for it,” Soong said, adding that none of the 12 major construction projects Ma proposed in his 2008 election campaign have been completed.
“Policy achievements can’t just be based on rice wine,” Soong said, referring to Ma’s recent campaign remarks in which he hailed his government’s lowering the price of rice wine from NT$180 a bottle to just NT$20, an achievement Ma said “the DPP simply could not have accomplished, period.”
“If I’m elected, I will take lessons from [late president] Chiang Ching-kuo’s (蔣經國) spirit and care of the needs of the common people,” Soong said.
“A political party is not a gang, it has a responsibility. If one is forced to vote for the party no matter how bad it is, then all the party needs is a sign,” he said.
“I do not rely on the party and I care for the people,” Soong said, adding that the public’s problems were the greatest and the government shouldn’t be aiming for any grandiose plans.
“Voting with tears or hate is gang philosophy, the people should use their votes to choose who becomes their president,” Soong said in a joint appearance with his running mate, National Taiwan University professor emeritus Lin Ruey-shiung (林瑞雄).
When Soong and Lin arrived at the Martyrs’ Temple plaza in Jhongli City (中壢), Taoyuan County, they were greeted with a throng of supporters shouting “Soong to the Presidential Office.”
Because of his long absence from the public spotlight since he was announced on Sept. 20 as Soong’s running mate in January’s presidential election, Lin was the focus of media attention.
“I did not disappear, I just haven’t appeared in front of the media,” Lin said. “I’ve been visiting the general public and friends and I’ve given up my US citizenship to fully participate in the elections.”
Translated by Jake Chung, staff writer
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