Why Taiwan needs religious party?

Premier Vincent Siew said on Sunday (Nov. 2, 1999) that the government should learn from the efficiency with which the Tzu Chi Buddhist Compassion Relief Association has handled post-earthquake relief and reconstruction projects.

Siew made the remarks while meeting with Master Cheng Yen, founder of the Tzu Chi association which is Taiwan's largest private charity organization.

The premier first expressed his personal gratitude and admiration for Tzu Chi's assistance in post-disaster relief operations after a 7.3-magnitude 921 earthquake rattled mountainous areas of central Taiwan.

"I think the government has much to learn from Tzu Chi's quick and efficient post-earthquake relief operations," Siew told Master Cheng Yen.

In a few hours after the temblor wreaked havoc in Nantou and Taichung counties, Tzu Chi volunteers already reached all major disaster zones to offer food, shelter and spiritual consolation for surviving quake victims.

Later on, Tzu Chi also took the lead in "adopting" 28 earthquake-damaged schools in central Taiwan and in constructing temporary houses for homeless quake survivors.

"The government appreciated Tzu Chi's contribution to post earthquake relief and reconstruction work," Siew said, adding that he hopes Tzu Chi will continue assisting the government in carrying out various relief and reconstruction projects, particularly in mental rehabilitation work.

For her part, Master Cheng Yen said Tzu Chi has just been doing what it should do as a charity organization on the island. "All Tzu Chi volunteers have joined post-earthquake relief work out of a sense of mission," the venerable Buddhist master noted.

Over the past few decades, Tzu Chi has offered humanitarian relief aid to disaster-affected people in Taiwan and in many other countries around the world.

Following his meeting with Master Cheng Yen, Siew, also ruling Kuomintang's vice president candidate for the 2000 presidential election, visited several other private associations in the eastern Taiwan county of Hualien as part of grassroots campaign activities.