Vowing to forge ahead in forming a "cross-party alliance for national stabilization," the DPP yesterday said that the weight of public opinion will force opposition parties to cooperate in the venture.
KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) announced on Thursday that they would not take part in the proposed alliance or support any opposition party member offered a position in the Cabinet.
Although remaining tight-lipped about the DPP's reaction to the decision of the two parties, DPP Secretary-General Wu Nai-ren (吳乃仁) said yesterday that the DPP is determined to form the alliance that was proposed by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) during the run-up to last weekend's elections.
"I can see no reason for us to disregard the president's proposal," Wu said.
Wu said the alliance, a 120-member group of lawmakers which would support the government's policy initiatives, would follow four objectives set down by Chen.
The four objectives are changing the electoral method to a single-member district, two-vote system, opposing any notion of "one country, two systems," implementing the 322 items reached by consensus at the Economic Development Advisory Conference, and realizing national social welfare policies.
Chang Chuan-tien (
"It's understandable that [the KMT and PFP] are refusing to take part in the alliance. They've just lost the legislative elections and have yet to come to terms with the reality of public opinion," Chang said.
If the KMT and PFP keep ignoring public opinion, Chang said, they will ultimately feel a tremendous backlash.
"The public has long yearned for national stability and that's why they voted for the DPP in last Saturday's elections," he said. "They simply can't keep ignoring the will of the people."
Chang said that he is not at all worried that the KMT and PFP refused to participate in the alliance, because their decision will not undermine the DPP's determination to form the alliance.
"Time will take care of everything," he said. "The Chen administration has survived as a minority in the legislature, international oppression, and natural disasters. We'll tough it out," he said.
Commenting on the lack of cooperation from the opposition parties, Chang said that it was clearly a malicious act of sabotage.
"Although we expect opposition parties to perform their role as a checks-and-balances mechanism, it's evident that they are still smarting after defeat in last Saturday's polls and continue to oppose the ruling party for no reason other than spite," he said.
Although the national stabilization alliance was an idea proposed by Chen before the elections -- when the DPP was a minority in the legislative body -- Chang said that the idea remains just as much a necessity now as it did then.
"Although the DPP has become the largest party in the legislature, it is still not a majority. In other words, it still needs to cooperate with other opposition parties to form a majority alliance," he said.
Commenting on the debate over who should lead the newly elected legislature, Chang said that the best combination is incumbent legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) of KMT and a DPP vice speaker.
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