Accusing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of economic mismanagement, presidential candidate of the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-People First Party (PFP) yesterday pledged to bring prosperity back to Taiwan.
"If I am elected, the new government will be one comprised of experts and professionals who know how to efficiently tackle the nation's problems," said presidential hopeful KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) at a campaign rally held last night in Tucheng, Taipei County.
"The new government would be one of love and reconciliation," he added, expressing his willingness to visit those who harbor different ideologies from him after he wins the election in order to gain a better understanding of others.
Switching gear, Lien then appealed to the crowd to support his election bid by campaigning on his pledges, among which including holding a regional referendum by the end of the year on the merging of Taipei City and Taipei County and his push for an enlisted military.
Lien, who is running on a joint ticket with his PFP counterpart James Soong (宋楚瑜), also restated his vow to donate his income to charity should he win the presidential election.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) were among the pan-blue camp's top figures who stumped for Lien at the rally last night.
Differing from its usual style of having Lien and Soong appear together at rally events, the alliance last night resorted to division of labor with Lien taking the stage at the rally in Taipei County while Soong appeared at a rally in Hsinchu.
While fervent pan-blue faithful at the rally sounded air horns and screamed "get elected," vendors were seen on the outer ring of the venue, taking advantage of the mass pan-blue supporters gathering and selling KMT-PFP party paraphernalia including Lien and Soong battery powered dolls, hats, jumpers and scarves.
The rally last night drew an estimated crowd of 30,000 supporters to the venue, according to Lien's campaign team.
Prior to taking the stage at Tucheng Stadium last night, Lien took part in a street procession during the day in Hsinchu city and county, which are known for their concentration of Hakka residents.
Accompanied by Hakka heavyweight KMT Vice Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and a number of pan-blue legislators, Lien stood on an open-topped jeep and waved to passers-by as his campaign team drove through the area.
In between, Lien make a stop at Yimin Temple (義民廟) appealing to crowd for support.
"Let's carry on our passion [displayed last Saturday] to March 20," Lien said, referring to the series of marches staged by the alliance across the nation last Saturday protesting against President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
"On March 20, let's turn our passion into action, turn the strength into votes and turn confidence into victory," Lien said to his supporters.
In his speech, Lien fingered the DPP administration of being perfunctory with the nation's Hakka by only having one Hakka -- the chairwoman of the Council for Hakka Affairs Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭) -- serving in its Cabinet team.
Lien pledged that he would have at least one Hakka heading one of the five Yuans in his new government should he win the presidency.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
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