Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers and party members yesterday identified the first family's recent controversies and the uncertainty over the nomination of the party's candidate for Taipei mayor as challenges facing the party in a day-long conference.
The conference was organized in a bid to find solutions to the problems posed by the DPP's deteriorating popularity and flagging public image. It was attended by party heavyweights, legislators, grassroots members and political researchers who offered their opinions and suggestions.
Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun participated and presided over the discussion sessions.
The conference focused on three topics: the DPP's fundamental values and public image, the development of the DPP's central and local organizations and the DPP's nomination systems.
During the conference, DPP Taipei City Councilor Lee Chien-chang (李建昌) criticized President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and his family for their lack of credibility and accountability on issues of integrity that have damaged the DPP's public image. Lee questioned why party heavyweights such as Lu, Yu, Su and Hsieh, who hold important governmental offices, had not raised these issues with the president.
"No matter how hard grassroots members try, high-ranking members can ruin our efforts easily," Lee said.
Some DPP members voiced similar opinions, saying the first family lacked humility and had no intention of reflecting upon their mistakes.
Another major talking point was the uncertainty over the party's candidate for the Taipei mayoral election, since nobody registered for the primary by last Friday's deadline. DPP Legislator You Ching (
You added that he felt the DPP had not been "fair" to him because the party actually wanted Hsieh to run for mayor. But the party chairman responded that You had failed to meet the application requirements and could not blame the party for this.
"The primary must be run according to the rules and we hope party members will obey those rules," Yu said.
Conference attendants also focused on discussing how to hammer out a new nomination system that would help the DPP to identify candidates who were capable of winning elections.
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
POOR IMPLEMENTATION: Teachers welcomed the suspension, saying that the scheme disrupted school schedules, quality of learning and the milk market A policy to offer free milk to all school-age children nationwide is to be suspended next year due to multiple problems arising from implementation of the policy, the Executive Yuan announced yesterday. The policy was designed to increase the calcium intake of school-age children in Taiwan by drinking milk, as more than 80 percent drink less than 240ml per day. The recommended amount is 480ml. It was also implemented to help Taiwanese dairy farmers counter competition from fresh milk produced in New Zealand, which is to be imported to Taiwan tariff-free next year when the Agreement Between New Zealand and
Taiwanese professional baseball should update sports stadiums and boost engagement to enhance fans’ experience, Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) in an interview on Friday. The league has urged Farglory Group and the Taipei City Government to improve the Taipei Dome’s outdated equipment, including relatively rudimentary television and sound systems, and poor technology, he said. The Tokyo Dome has markedly better television and sound systems, despite being 30 years old, because its managers continually upgraded its equipment, Tsai said. In contrast, the Taipei Dome lacked even a room for referees
RSS