Members of KMT call for Lee's ouster

Though former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) says he has no intention of forming a new political group, several KMT members formally asked yesterday for his expulsion from the party.

KMT heavyweight Liang Su-jung (梁肅戎) proposed to the party's disciplinary committee yesterday that "Lee, a traitor to the KMT, be ousted."

Liang said that Lee's support for the DPP's Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and other pro-Taiwan politicians was evidence that he is a member of their group.

Lee said in Los Angeles yesterday that he would continue to fight for Taiwan's democratic and economic reforms.

"In my 80s, I am still as strong [as I was] to fight against political chaos," Lee told some 1,600 followers at an evangelical gathering, recalling Joshua's words from the Old Testament.

Lee then went on to criticize politicians who he said are responsible for Taiwan's political turmoil, though he didn't provide any names.

"Mainstream public opinion hasn't been taken into consideration for the past year and has only further crippled the DPP government.

"Also, someone has severely deviated from the goal I've achieved in past years," Lee said.

The former chairman of the KMT has been upset that Lien Chan (連戰), the party's current chairman, has abandoned Lee's "Taiwan first" and localization policies in favor of a pro-China stance.

Liang yesterday presented Chen Ken-ching (陳庚金), head of the disciplinary committee, with his petition and endorsement by 16 other members of the party's central review committee asking that Lee's membership in the party be revoked.

"Lee wants to take the KMT's money to help the DPP. Such a traitor should be ousted," Liang said.

In response, Chen Ken-ching said that he would make a report to the party's headquarters, while the party's secretary-general Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正) yesterday said that "[the party] would handle the matter with caution."

Lee is expected to return to Taiwan tonight. Some high-ranking KMT officials are still undecided as to whether they should go to the airport to greet Lee.

Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), however, yesterday said that he would be present for Lee's arrival, saying that "it's the right thing to do."

A close aide to Lee, Huang Chu-wen (黃主文), said yesterday that "Lee, who has enjoyed great popularity that no one in Taiwan can compete with, doesn't need a big crowd at the airport to make a good showing of himself.

"Only those who try to bluff need to mobilize people to greet him at the airport," Huang said.

Members of several pro-DPP groups including the Northern Taiwan Society (台灣北社), Southern Taiwan Society (台灣南社) and the Central Taiwan Society (台灣中社) have decided they will warmly welcome Lee home at the airport today.