Former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) lamented yesterday the loss of former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Lu Hsiu-yi (盧修一), who he described as selfless and kind.
Su made the remarks after attending the 10th anniversary of Lu’s death in Taipei yesterday afternoon.
On the eve of the Taipei County commissioner race in 1997, Lu kneeled on stage, despite being ill, to solicit votes for Su, the DPP candidate for the post. Su later won the election.
Emphasizing his debt to Lu, Su said he felt Lu had been with him over the past decade and that the reason Lu was still well remembered and respected was because he was an individual who was sincere, straightforward and vivacious.
During an era when the legislative chamber was under the control of legislators who had not had to face the electorate for decades, the DPP was united then, Su said.
“He was willing to forsake his dream of running for the top job in Taipei County and help me with my bid. There is no comparison between what he did for me and what other politicians would do,” Su said. “He did not do it for himself, he did it for his friend, for Taipei County and for the party.”
Su said he was ashamed and distraught after seeing the party lose in several elections and party members engage in fierce infighting.
“The party should feel embarrassed for losing that spirit,” Su said. “I wish there were more people like Lu to make his beloved Taiwan a better place.”
The latest Papua New Guinea fund scandal has delivered a significant blow to the DPP’s popularity.
Su yesterday opposed calls for President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to bear responsibility for the scandal, urging prosecutors to uncover the truth to prevent the public from being misled by “crooks.”
“I don’t think the head of state knows every detail of the plan and how it was executed,” Su said. “It is not right to hold the president responsible or ask him to step down, unless he is found to be guilty of corruption.”
Su said the country’s diplomatic situation was in dire straits and there were many problems that few people could understand — except for those who are actually involved.
He said he believed former vice premier Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) and former minister of foreign affairs James Huang (黃志芳) did not pocket any money and that he hoped the truth will come out soon and clear the names of the innocent.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
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