Tue, Jan 08, 2008 page1

• DPP fearful of low election turnout

  HIGH STAKES President Chen Shui-bian said that it would be a severe blow for the DPP, Taiwan, democracy and justice if the KMT won a majority in the legislature

  • By Ko Shu-ling and Flora Wang / STAFF REPORTERS
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  Fearing a low turnout, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday urged the public to come out and vote in Saturday's legislative elections.

  President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who doubles as DPP chairman, said he was confident his party would meet its target of winning 35 district legislator seats and 15 legislator-at-large seats.

  However, he would not say whether he would step down as chairman if the DPP performed badly in the elections.

  Meanwhile, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), who serves as the spiritual leader of the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), called on voters to cast their second ballot for the TSU. He said the party would keep the DPP and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in check.

  Chen chaired a meeting of senior party members to discuss the elections and campaign strategy at DPP headquarters yesterday morning.

  Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), DPP election campaign chief Yu Shyi-kun, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄), DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and Hsieh's running mate Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) attended the meeting.

  Chen said afterwards there was no secret to winning an election, but solidarity, hard work and perseverance were all very important.

  Chen said that while he realized securing 50 seats was "mission impossible," the DPP had repeatedly proven it could turn things around.

  If the KMT won a majority in the legislature, Chen said, Taiwan would only have one option for its future: unification with China.

  KMT domination of the legislature, Chen said, would mean the "one country on either side of the Taiwan Strait" policy advocated by the DPP would be consigned to history and the country would make a complete U-turn.

  "Unification will no longer be a remote notion or a ridiculous ideology but will become the policy goal of the KMT government," he said. "If this comes to pass, there will be little difference between Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao."

  Chen said although speculation was mounting that the DPP would win between 35 to 38 seats and the KMT would secure 75, nobody knew what would really happen.

  If the worst happened, Chen said, it would be a serious defeat for the DPP and for Taiwan, democracy and justice.

  Chen lambasted the KMT for urging the public to boycott the two referendums that are to be held concurrently with the elections, saying this was tantamount to rejecting democracy.

  The referendum initiated by the DPP represented the nation's last chance to reclaim the assets stolen by the KMT, he said.

  Hsieh said supporters were anxious about the DPP's election chances and worried that the KMT would win a legislative majority.

  "It will be a disaster for the country if the KMT controls the government agencies, judiciary and the legislature," he said. "We will not give up any ballot. We will spare no effort until the very end."

  Meanwhile, the TSU yesterday introduced promotional videos featuring Lee urging voters to cast their second ballot for the TSU. The videos were broadcast on TV beginning yesterday evening.

  In the videos, Lee criticized the DPP for dashing the hopes of the people and offering no direction for the country's future. Lee said many people had asked him which presidential candidate he would endorse.

  "I want you to ask yourself who you are," he said. "So many people ask others who they support, but seldom do they ask themselves who they are. Taiwanese must have a Taiwan-centered consciousness. They must be their own master, walk their own path and take care of the disadvantaged, workers, farmers and students."

  Lee said voters had the opportunity to say "no" to the bigger parties in Saturday's elections.

  Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) yesterday vowed to prevent the DPP from winning 50 legislative seats.

  Wu, unveiling the party's latest commercial at a media conference yesterday morning, urged voters to cast their ballots for the KMT.

  "I have been doing some thinking on why we always lose battles we should not have lost. If [the KMT] had been united [in 2004], Chen Shui-bian would not have had a chance," Wu said.

  "We really have to ask everyone for emergency help because this election is unfair and partial. Every single ballot is very important," he said. "If you don't vote, A-bian [the president] will laugh behind our backs," Wu said.

  He said the KMT would not forget the "painful experience of the 319 shooting incident" ahead of the presidential election in 2004. Nor would it forget the pain after KMT Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Huang Chun-ying's (黃俊英) lead was reversed overnight during the mayoral election in December 2006, he said.

  "I consider myself a Buddhist, but for the people and Taiwan, I will go all out. Although I am a gentle person, I will be very tough for the next five days," Wu said.

  When approached for comment while campaigning in Taoyuan, KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said the party was facing fierce competition in the legislative poll.
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