President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday discussed the government’s efforts to promote Taiwan as a provider of humanitarian aid and clean government, promising to take these policies even further if re-elected.
Ma, chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), yesterday visited religious leaders in Greater Kaohsiung to seek support for the Jan. 14 elections and said he favored the humanitarian spirit of Buddhism in the implementation of government policies.
“Buddhism in Taiwan plays an active role in promoting charity events and social welfare, and such acts represent the implementation of our goal for Taiwan to become a peacemaker and provider of humanitarian aid around the world,” he said while attending the official opening of a memorial hall at Foguang Shan Monastery.
Later, when attending the launch of a retired civil servants’ support group in Taipei, Ma cited the government’s achievements in sustaining economic growth, creating job opportunities and adopting anti-corruption measures.
“The Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] has accused my administration of being incompetent, but it failed to levy a luxury tax, promote second-generation healthcare insurance or attend the World Health Assembly [WHA]. The KMT accomplished all of the above. How is this incompetent?” he asked.
With the presidential election less than a month away, Ma yesterday started canvassing in Taoyuan, before heading to Hsinchu County to campaign for the KMT’s legislative candidates.
Ma traveled in a bullet-proof campaign vehicle and waved to local residents as he was driven around Taoyuan.
Ma will continue to focus his campaign efforts in northern Taiwan, with planned home-stays in Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli counties.
In the face of a close campaign against DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the KMT is seeking to consolidate its support in the north and win at least 600,000 more votes in the area than the DPP’s presidential pairing.
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