KMT doing damage control on Farmers' Party

The Chinese Nationalist Party (中國國民黨) is working hard to suck up to the Farmers' and Fishermens' Associations (農漁會), sending chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) down to the center of the country to speak at an Agricultural society meeting (中部農業團體).

Wu Poh-hsiung defended the hard-working and clean nature of most associations and condemed recent DPP attacks against to the Farmers' and Fishermen's Association laws. The amendments, which the Executive Yuan had asked the Legislature to reconsider, removed term limits on general-secretaries and required officials to step down only after a final conviction as opposed to an initial conviction.

The pan-blue camp rejected the Executive's request. The KMT is particularly keen not to see its relationship with influencial general-secretaries deteriorate too far, given that some will be forming the Farmers' Party (台灣農民黨) this Friday.

The Farmers' Party goals will focus on bringing greater attention to the situations farmers (and fishermen) face and having a greater influence on national policy. Earlier reports indicated the Party's interest in cooperating with timber and othe rural industries.