The fundraising campaign initiated by former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-teh (
DPP Legislator Wang Shih-cheng (
"I hope Shih will put an end to such ridiculous behavior so he won't destroy his reputation," Wang said. "I wish he had been executed during Chiang Ching-kuo's (
PHOTO: HUANG CHIH-YUAN, TAIPEI TIMES
TV political commentator Wang Ben-hu (
He called on the public to join the Aug. 26 campaign he is organizing to "protect A-bian and safeguard Taiwan" at the 228 Peace Park.
DPP Legislator Huang Wei-cher (黃偉哲) criticized Shih for "arrogance," saying that he brazenly rejected their "friendly" efforts to dissuade him from continuing.
While the Democratic Action Alliance is also planning to officially commence its national anti-Chen Shui-bian campaign by taking to the streets on the same day as Shih, Huang said Shih had put on an air of self-importance and refused to negotiate with the alliance.
"It makes me feel that he has become someone I don't know any more," Huang said. "I don't want to see his moral arrogance. Even former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, was not that arrogant when he was dealing with opposition parties."
Shih is often dubbed the "Nelson Mandela of Taiwan" because of the 25 years he served in prison as a result of his pro-democracy activism.
DPP Legislator Lee Wen-chung (
"Although I do not support his campaign, I feel ashamed about what the first family has done," he said. "I feel even more ashamed about the way my colleagues have responded to Shih."
Lee said DPP members could at least keep quiet when they cannot figure out a way to resolve the problem.
"If they want to respond, they must respond with dignity and consider the public reaction," he said. "Defensive or defamatory remarks will only further disappoint our supporters."
Shih's former wife, Linda Gail Arrigo, yesterday said Shih's campaign was not an act of conscience but an unwillingness to remain out of the limelight.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Tsai Chin-lung (
"Although they say that they are defending a localization regime, they are actually defending a government embroiled in corruption," Tsai said.
Tsai said the KMT fully support Shih's campaign, but it won't order its party members to participate in the campaign in the hope of avoiding making the campaign a confrontation between the pan-green and pan-blue camps.
People First Party (PFP) Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang (
"Rather, it should be a problem of fighting corruption or not." Lu added.
He said the PFP will not attend Shih's campaign in the name of the party, but it will encourage the participation of its party members and supporters.
Meanwhile, DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun yesterday said he was worried about the possible eruption of conflict between radical forces calling the president to step down and those opposing such calls. Yu has also been advised by senior DPP officials to consider canceling his scheduled visit to the US in early next month.
As the government, the DPP's priority is to maintain political stability and concentrate on national development, said senior DPP officials. For that reason, they said, the DPP will not organize any activities to counter Shih.
Yu has called on Shih to exercise "self-restraint" and said he had tried to pacify people like Wang Pen-hu, but to no avail.
Additional reporting by Shih Hsiu-chuan and CNA
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