The Northern Taiwan Society yesterday called on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to spend more time reflecting on ways to improve rather than discussing candidates for the next presidential election.
The society issued a statement yesterday saying the possible pairing of Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) had become the talk of the DPP following the municipal elections.
"Instead of discussing possible pairings for the presidential election, the DPP should re-examine its path and map out the country's future," the statement said.
It said the DPP's victory in the Kaohsiung mayoral election indicated that voters recognized the DPP's governance in the city over the years and that it was an opportunity for the party to reflect on its shortcomings.
"The DPP did not win big," the statement said. "If it fails to review its path and formulate the country's future but instead spends most of its time discussing who should pair with whom in the 2008 presidential election, it will eventually lose the support of the Taiwanese people."
The DPP must ask itself whether the administration has drifted away from its original ideals, the statement said.
The statement also said "they should ask themselves whether there is still room for improvement; whether problems caused by justice in transition have been taken care of; whether they insist on pro-localization values; whether they put the weak and disadvantaged first; whether they offer the people a clear account of the difficulties whenever they encounter one; what future goals they set for the country in order to win the recognition of the people."
The municipal elections showed people still have faith in the DPP, the statement said.
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