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President mum on severe thrashing of his party in legislative race

ROC Central News Agency

2008-01-12 21:08:29

    Taipei, Jan. 12 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian declined to answer questions Saturday about who should take responsibility for the huge defeat suffered by his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the legislative elections.

    Chen, who serves concurrently as the DPP chairman and has fiercely stumped for DPP candidates, arrived at the DPP headquarters at 8 p.m., but did not answer questions from reporters.

    He shook hands with Cho Jung-tai, DPP secretary-general, who came out to greet him, and said only "thank you" to the throngs of media reporters who asked him about the lackluster performance of the DPP.

     Local television said the main opposition Kuomintang won a total of 81 seats -- taking more than two third of the seats in the 113 seat legislature. The DPP only won 28 seats according to initial election returns.

    The KMT got 61 regional seats in 73 constituencies and 20 at-large seats, compared with the DPP's 14 regional seats and 14 at-large seats. The remaining six seats went to candidates of other parties or independents.

    Chen had previously said he was confident his party would get 50 seats and made a last ditch effort Friday night to persuade voters not to give the KMT a two-third majority, which he said "would cause disaster," including potential recall attempts by the legislature of DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh if Hsieh wins the presidential election on March 22.

    Vice President Annette Lu, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung, DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh and his partner Su Tseng-chang, DPP legislative campaign manager Yu Shyi-kun, and legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming also went to the DPP headquarters Saturday.

    All kept silent in a serious mood after the defeat, except for the generally outspoken Lu. "The whole party should take responsibility," Lu told reporters.

    All the election-related figures were strictly unofficial, as the final official results were to be announced by the CEC later Saturday evening.

(By Lilian Wu)

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