Taiwan opposition "lawmakers" have proposed a vote of no
confidence in the island's "cabinet" amidst clamors from a
grass-roots campaign to oust scandal-plagued Chen Shui-bian.
"Legislators" of Taiwan's opposition
party carry banners and placards calling for Taiwan's "Premier" Su
Tseng-chang and "President" Chen Shui-bian to step down at the
first "legislative assembly" in Taipei on September 19,
2006.
The move by "legislators" of the Kuomintang (KMT) and People
First Party (PFP) against Su Tseng-chang is apparently aimed at
giving the anti-Chen campaign new impetus.
The round-the-clock protest led by Shih Ming-teh, former
chairman of Chen's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP),
entered its 11th day yesterday demanding Chen resign for his
involvement in a string of high-profile corruption scandals.
The KMT and PFP hold a narrow majority in the 221-member
"Legislature," so a successful move to withdraw support from Su
would require new "legislative" elections, elections the two
parties feel they can win.
However, KMT leader Ma Ying-jeou may be leaning toward proposing
a new recall initiative against Chen, a process that would require
a two-thirds "legislative" majority to put the issue to an
island-wide referendum. A previous recall bid failed in June when
DPP members voted against it.
At the "legislature," opposition members unfurled banners and
shouted slogans against Chen as a new session opened yesterday.
They temporarily prevented Su, a senior member of Chen's DPP, from
speaking.
Wearing red, the symbol of the anti-Chen campaign, representing
their ire, the protestors demonstrated following a violent
confrontation between Chen's supporters and opponents in the
southern city of Kaohsiung.
The clashes, broken up by police early yesterday, were the most
serious outbreak of violence since the anti-Chen campaign started.
The baton-wielding police intervened to separate the groups. At
least six people, among them two injured, were arrested by police,
local television images showed.
Chen has been under pressure to resign since his son-in-law,
Chao Chien-ming, was indicted on suspicion of insider trading and
taking bribes. Prosecutors questioned Chen about the misuse of
funds intended for "national" affairs. His wife Wu Shu-chen is also
under investigation for allegedly accepting department store gift
certificates in exchange for lobbying efforts.
Chen has refused to bow to public pressure and says he will
remain in office until his second four-year term expires in May
2008.
(China Daily September 20, 2006)
