President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday led campaign efforts in Greater Kaohsiung and called for pan-blue unity in the face of a close race. He also warned Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) supporters about “negative” campaign tactics from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Ma traveled to Greater Kao-hsiung and campaigned for KMT legislators, including Chiu Yi (邱毅) and Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順), in the pan-green stronghold and focused his efforts on criticism of the DPP amid a heated war of words between the two camps over possible political connections between the two sides and Chen Ying-chu (陳盈助), a local bookmaker.
The president accused the DPP of fabricating his meeting with Chen in an attempt to associate him with gangsters and added that DPP politicians had asked Chen for political donations before.
Photo: CNA
He said DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and her party lacked integrity and honesty, as they were using Chen as a campaign tool.
“The DPP asked its friends for support when it needs money, and now when it doesn’t need those friends, the party tramples on its friends and uses them as tools against political enemies in elections. The party’s acts reflect a lack of integrity. They are unkind and intolerant,” he said while campaigning for Huang.
Ma’s comments came after Chiu said Chen had helped to arrange a visit to the Philippines for Tsai in June and had also treated several DPP members to free trips.
DPP Legislator Chen Ming-wen (陳明文) told the legislature that he had not asked Chen Ying-chu to help arrange Tsai’s Manila visit, but described him as a “good guy.”
While promising not to use negative campaign tactics, Ma attributed the KMT’s defeat in last year’s Greater Kaohsiung mayoral election to smear campaigns by the DPP.
He also defended his administration’s ability to revive the economy as he called for voter support in the south.
“My administration has been promoting clean government and social justice, as well as improving cross-strait relations and revitalizing the economy. The change has happened and we must not stop reform,” he said.
With about 50 days to go before the presidential and legislative elections on Jan. 14, Ma’s re-election campaign office spokesperson Lee Chia-fei (李佳霏) said the camp would work harder to secure support in central and southern parts of the country, while consolidating its support base in traditional pan-blue strongholds in the north.
Ma also paid a call on China-born Cardinal Paul Shan (單國璽) at the Holy Rosary Church in Kao-hsiung to wish him a happy 90th birthday. During the visit, Ma said he had directed government agencies to consider benefits for elderly foreign clergy and nuns, such as half-price public transportation fares and long-term healthcare.
These benefits are extended to elderly Taiwanese citizens, but not to non-nationals, including members of the clergy who have spent many years in service to Taiwan, Ma said.
Therefore, Ma said he had given a directive to government agencies to remedy the situation.
Ma said he was concerned about Shan’s health and praised him for his hard work in promoting Catholicism.
Shan, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2006, thanked the president for his visit. He also cautioned Ma to take care of his own health and said that the president had lost quite a bit of weight recently.
Additional reporting by CNA
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