Accompanied by more than 10 retired generals, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei mayoral candidate Sean Lien (連勝文) yesterday paid homage to presidents Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) and Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) in Cihu (慈湖) and Touliao (頭寮) in Taoyuan County, in an attempt to appeal to blue-camp voters.
Dozens of tourists from China burst into cheers when they unexpectedly met Lien at the mausoleums — a prime attraction for Chinese tourists — and shouted “Sean Lien, get elected” to wish him victory in the election on Nov. 29.
Lien said the purpose of the visit was to highlight his pledges that, if elected, he would follow in the footsteps of the former presidents in abiding by ethical guidelines for civil servants and making every effort in his power to speak for military personnel, teachers and civil servants.
Photo: Lin Tsu-hsiang, Taipei Times
“Military personnel, teachers and civil servants have devoted their lives to the nation. The government is duty-bound to take care of them for their entire lives,” Lien said, as he reiterated the importance of the government safeguarding the rights and benefits they are entitled to under the current system.
The forfeiture of year-end bonuses for retired military personnel, teachers and civil servants who receive monthly retirement pensions of more than NT$20,000 — a policy adopted by the government late last year and which was revised in August to allow retirees with monthly pensions of less than NT$25,000 to receive year-end bonuses — has been cited as a reason why Lien has been getting only lukewarm support from these traditional KMT voters.
“I would like to take the occasion to reassure [the public] that the promises the government has made to military personnel, teachers and civil servants must be delivered. Their rights and benefits must not be changed,” Lien said.
Lien said the previous time he visited the mausoleums was when he was at junior-high school.
Separately, Lien’s campaign office said he would embark on a “long stay” project by staying over in the homes of heads of boroughs that are traditionally pro-KMT strongholds, in the same way that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) drummed up support during his presidential campaign in 2008 and 2012.
Lien’s first stop was scheduled to be Cheng-gong Public Housing in Taipei’s Daan District (大安) last night.
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