Wed, Feb 09, 2000 page3

• Soong gives details of youth policy

  • By Lauren Chen / STAFF REPORTER
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  Independent presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday unveiled details of his campaign policy aimed at youth, highlighting the significance of what he called the "five E's.''

  Soong also pledged to establish a "youth consultation committee" directly under the Presidential Office which would formally include the younger generation in the decision-making process.

  The five-E's Soong referred to are: environment, education, employment, entertainment and enrichment.

  

  Independent presidential candidate James Soong, left, his running mate Chang Chau-hsiung, center, and Lee Horng-yuan, head of the campaign youth department, speak of their youth program during a press conference yesterday.

  PHOTO: AP

  "When we are discussing policy issues, I would like our decisions to include the views of the youth in society rather than only the older generation,'' Soong said.

  Opposition leaders, however, dismissed Soong's "special committee" proposal as being no more than a campaign trick.

  "Be it in the past or present, the decision-making process of the government is not for youth to be involved in. This announcement is nothing more than a campaign ploy to sway younger voters ahead of the election,'' said DPP spokesman Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉).

  After announcing the youth policy, Soong and his running mate Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄) said that they wanted to boost the morale of their young campaigners by launching a "campus vote" program, aimed at raising support among students.

  In fact, as the presidential election approaches, all three major candidates have appeared eager to draw more votes from school campuses.

  Lee Horng-yuan (李鴻源), the head of Soong's youth department, admitted that following the revelations over the controversial financial dealings surrounding Soong's family, the momentum among students voters has suffered.

  "According to our estimates, about 400,000 have switched their support to either the DPP's candidate, Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) or are now undecided," Lee said.

  He added, however, that this has begun to change since Soong began to explain the details of his finances and after the KMT started its negative campaigning. "I believe the situation is under control and will improve," Lee said.

  The DPP's youth department director, Jou Yi-cheng (周奕成), said 50 percent of voters among the 15 million who are eligible are under 39 years old.

  Both Lee and Chen's campaign officials confirmed that Chen is the most popular figure among college students, with Soong occupying the second spot, and the KMT's candidate, Lien Chan (連戰), trailing in third.

  While Soong emphasized his youth policy yesterday, his running mate took the occasion to take a jab at President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝).

  "It is strange that Lee always thought that as president, he would have to die during his tenure,'' Chang said.

  "Maybe it's because people surrounding Lee have always told him that Taiwan would die without him."
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