Executive Yuan spokesman-designate Tung Chen-yuan (童振源) yesterday called on outgoing Premier Simon Chang (張善政) to share the mistakes and failures of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration over the past eight years.
“We hope Chang might share more failures and blind spots that occurred during the KMT administration so that the incoming government will not repeat its mistakes,” Tung said.
Tung said that Chang should share his mistakes because during the time he has served as vice premier and premier, Taiwan’s economy has been in recession for three consecutive quarters.
“We hope that both the governing and opposition parties can work together for Taiwan’s economic and sustainable development,” he said.
Chang on Thursday said that although he had voted for former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in 2000, he was dissatisfied with his performance.
On the presidential election day in 2004, he told his son that if Chen won re-election, he should study abroad and prepare to emigrate, he said.
Chang went on to “remind” the incoming government not to force him to also move abroad.
Chang’s remarks triggered criticism from DPP Legislator Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇), who said the average GDP was higher during Chen’s administration than under President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九).
“Is Chang not also responsible for the government’s bad performance?” Hsu asked. “If he wants to emigrate, then go ahead.”
DPP Legislator Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡) said that “it is unethical to find excuses to criticize [the incoming government] because of differences in political affiliation.”
Chang yesterday said that his comments were inappropriate.
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