`Traitor' taunts goad PFP to action

Chiu Hei-yuan (瞿海源), a sociology professor at National Taiwan University, sees the bill as an election tactic.

"Like the pan-blue camp's sudden change of position in its stance concerning the referendum bill, the PFP's seemingly out-of-the blue `anti-betraying Taiwan bill' (反賣台條款) is actually again a political maneuver in view of coming presidential election next year," Chiu said.

The bill is also unnecessary, he said.

"While it is wrong for people to go around calling others names and accusing them of selling out Taiwan, on the other hand however, if such accusations are true, then there is already a law governing such acts, namely that of treason," Chiu said.

The question of Soong's loyalty toward Taiwan is however, the vice presidential candidate's electoral Achilles' heel, Chiu said.

"In view of 2004 presidential election drawing closer, the PFP needs the bill to protect Soong,.

TSU legislative whip Chien Lin Whei-jun (錢林慧君) said there's no need for formalization of such bill because it holds no substantial meaning.

"Patriotism is an issue that lies within one's conscience. It can not be defined by mere words," said Chien Lin. "There can always be acts which constitute betrayal which have not been defined as such by the law."

Chien Lin agreed that next year's presidential election was the reason the PFP was moving to introduce the bill.

"The very fact that the PFP has initiated this so-called a `anti-betraying Taiwan' measure suggests that selling out Taiwan is an issue it is secretly feeling guilty about," said Chien Lin.