The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is looking more determined to force President Chen Shui-bian (
KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
"The first lady's relationship with Chen You-hao (
Ma said the KMT caucus will make the final decision on whether to support a recall motion or try to dismiss the Cabinet. However, KMT Taipei City Councilor Lin Yi-hua (林奕華), who is also a member of the Central Standing Committee, later confirmed that the party will make the announcement on the recall proposal today.
The KMT is also initiating a signature drive called "A-bian steps down to save Taiwan" to encourage the public to demand Chen's resignation, and it is planning an anti-Chen rally for Saturday in Kaohsiung -- even though the People First Party (PFP) is sponsoring a similar rally in Taipei that day.
PFP caucus whip Lu Hsueh-chang (
Tseng Yung-chuan (
Lu tried to make the best of the split schedule.
"Despite having different protest rallies, the PFP and KMT have the same goal -- the president has to resign," he said.
Nevertheless, the KMT's decision to hold its own rally has rankled some PFP members.
"[Ma] is just like a runaway doctor. While an expectant mother [the PFP] is going to give birth [Chen resigning as a result of the PFP's protests], the doctor chooses to run away, using a business trip to Kaohsiung as an excuse," PFP Legislator Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄) said.
"I think a runaway doctor is beneath contempt," Liu said.
"Ma and the KMT initially opposed recalling the president. But now, when they realize that such a demand is gradually gaining public support, they have started to change their tune," PFP Legislator Lee Hung-chun (
Some PFP councilors urged Ma to seek pan-blue unity.
"We should work together to organize a cross-party and cross-ethnicity rally and invite everyone who is dissatisfied with Chen Shui-bian to join the protest," Taipei City Council Deputy Speaker Lee Hsin (
However, Hsin, along with Taipei City councilors Huang Shan-shan (
"You were attending an event held by a pan-blue ally, but mobilized a big group of police to protect you. Do you think pan-blue supporters will hurt you?" Huang You-chong asked.
"Last Thursday, you said you would not attend the PFP rally. Were you trying to compete against [PFP] Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜)? Will you come to the PFP's rally this weekend?" Lee asked.
Ma told the councilors that he had changed his mind because the KMT's national convention finished early.
also see story:
Editorial: Time for cooler heads
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique