The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday called on the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to reconsider staging a “happy” rally in Taipei City on Sunday to stump for KMT Taipei mayoral candidate Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌).
DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) discounted the rally, which is to have a “happy, carnival atmosphere,” and expressed dismay over the theme, saying it came at a time when many people in Taiwan cannot find jobs and lead miserable lives.
“I don’t see any reason for the KMT to feel happy,” she said.
DPP spokesperson Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) said Taiwanese have been leading miserable lives since the KMT took power more than two years ago.
“The people are living in misery and only the members of President Ma Ying-jeou’s [馬英九] administration are happy,” he said.
The DPP does not see any meaning or necessity for the rally, he added.
The KMT said a week earlier that the rally would also focus on calls for judicial reforms and anti-corruption efforts — changes that were made after a court ruling handed down earlier this month that acquitted former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on charges he took bribes of NT$610 million (US$20.13 million) in two bank mergers during his tenure in office.
“The Nov. 21 rally will only make Taiwanese society more restless and whip up a social standoff,” Lin said.
Responding to Tsai’s comments, KMT spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) said the DPP chairwoman probably did not fully understand the plans fo the rally before she lashed out with criticism.
Su said the rally is aimed at spurring “the KMT’s mobilization momentum” in a sunny, peaceful and rational fashion.
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