The opposition Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) vice presidential candidate, Chen Chien-jen, apologized on Sunday for a recent comment he made about long-term care patients.
Chen had said that sending the elderly to nursing homes, thereby separating them from their families, was tantamount to treating them like lepers. That comment sparked a backlash from people who provide long-term care.
Chen apologized for his comment. He said that workers and volunteers who provide long-term care are like Mother Theresa and Sr. Elvira Valentin Martin, a Spanish missionary who dedicated her life to taking care of leprosy patients in Taiwan. Chen said that people who work in long-term care are like guardian angels for the elderly.
Meanwhile, Chen also responded on Sunday to Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou’s call for candidates to talk about specific economic goals. Chen said that the most important thing would be to clearly explain his party’s policies. He said that if he and his running mate only talk about economic indicators and offer political slogans, it would be the same as making empty promises.