A war of words between the DPP and the KMT over the premier's performance turned nasty yesterday, with the premier calling the KMT "evil" and the KMT retorting that the nation is "wiping the DPP's ass."
The two parties have been bickering over the premiership, with the KMT on Sunday calling for Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) to step down to take responsibility for the nation's ailing economy.
"While others have the absolute right to criticize the DPP government's performance, the KMT is the least qualified to do so after leaving so many deep-rooted evils in place after its 50 years of authoritarian rule," Chang said in a statement released by the Cabinet's Government Information Office yesterday morning.
Chang also criticized the KMT for "maliciously boycotting the DPP government's policies in the legislature" after the peaceful transfer of power.
"It doesn't make sense for a creator of evil to criticize an evil-buster," Chang said. "During KMT rule, we saw the establishment of `black gold' politics, a bubble economy and bad debt at banks. In a bid to wipe out corrupt practices, we have had to initiate many new policies."
It was not fair to blame the DPP alone for the economic downturn, the statement continued.
"Many factors, both global and local, are behind the nation's ailing economy," Chang said. "In addition to the impact of the global economic recession, political conflict between the ruling and opposition parties is heavily to blame."
Just a few hours after Chang's statement was released, the KMT struck back with one of its own.
"How ridiculous to hear the premier say that the DPP is now cleaning up the mess for the KMT. The truth is that the 23 million Taiwanese people are wiping the DPP's ass.
"If the DPP government is doing a much better a job than its KMT predecessor, as it claims, why does the nation's economy keep deteriorating?" the statement said.
The statement said the public is not interested in seeing "the rate of policy implementation" but "the results of policy implementation."
"It's like baseball. It's simply not enough to swing the bat. You have to have either a safe hit or a home run," the statement said.
There has been much speculation as to who might be the next premier, particularly since KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has proposed forming a "cross-party alliance for national stabilization," which he said would consult in the formation of a Cabinet.
DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said recently that the premier's job would not necessarily go to a DPP member.
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