The first of two televised debates today between the two presidential candidates will be simultaneously translated in the Hakka language.
Channel 17 will provide simultaneous translation of the two-hour debate between President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) this afternoon between 2pm and 4pm for Hakka-speaking viewers, who account for about 20 percent of the nation's 23 million people.
Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), chairman of the Council for Hakka Affairs, said that prior to the establishment in July last year of the Hakka TV channel, Hakka people who could not speak Mandarin were shut out of the world of TV.
Yeh said that because of past campaigns promoting Mandarin, the Hakka language was fast disappearing.
Among Hakka between the ages of 13 and 29, only 36.3 percent can still speak the language fluently, while the figure drops to only 11.7 percent for those under 13.
At the same time, however, there were many elderly Hakka who were unable to understand Mandarin, Yeh said.
This situation had seen some improvement after the council began to promote Hakka-related events, including the launch of the Hakka TV channel, she said.
Council officials said the launch of the channel had enabled younger Hakka to learn more about their language and culture, while older members of the community could now enjoy TV in their own tongue.
The channel had also enhanced understanding among non-Hakka people of the beauty of Hakka culture and provided an opportunity to learn the language, the officials said.
The first simultaneous Hakka broadcast of a debate between presidential candidates will also allow elderly Hakka voters who do not speak Mandarin to participate in this important moment in the nation's democratic history, they added.
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
In related news, the convener of an alliance representing underprivileged people and other welfare groups yesterday urged the two candidates not to avoid answering questions during the debate.
"Pan-purple alliance" member Chien Hsi-chieh said that alliance spokesman Wang Jung-chang (王榮璋) would be one of the five representatives asking questions during the debate.
He said Wang would act as the voice of the people and reflect their views.
Observers have welcomed the debate between the two presidential candidates, saying that the public is tired of the negative campaigning and mudslinging that has taken place so far. They said the series of debates will serve to assist undecided voters with making their choice in the March 20 election.
Chien said that although Wang was only allowed to ask two questions, the questions would gauge whether the candidates had really responded to the needs of the people.
Chien was also satisfied about the five representatives who had been selected to ask questions.
They include a researcher from the Academia Sinica, the nation's top research institute, an official from a private judicial reform group, a university professor and an official from the Ministry of Education.
The five were neutral observers, and favored neither the president nor his challenger, Chien said.
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