Mon, Apr 17, 2000 page3

• Legislators looking for new footing to stay on top

  POWER STRUGGLE Legislators Liao Hwu-peng and Liu Ping-wei stand out as two prominent examples of politicians attempting to remain in positions of power while the legislature experiences a major power shuffle following the KMT election defeat

  • By Monique Chu / STAFF REPORTER
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  Last Tuesday, while Vice President-elect Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) stood in the office of the legislative speaker, complaining of having been left out of the decision making process for the new government, President-elect Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) listened on, grinning.

  The tense atmosphere, in light of the second-in-command's complaints, added fuel to rumors of a growing rift between herself and Chen over the distribution of power in the new order.

  Then, as Chen concluded the address he had come to deliver and tension caused by Lu's remarks had died down somewhat, KMT legislator Liao Hwu-peng (廖福本) unexpectedly burst upon the scene.

  "Congratulations!" he said to Chen and Lu, shaking their hands, before turning around and leaving just as suddenly.

  The incident, which drew giggles from a roomful of surrounding reporters, provided much-needed comic relief, effectively diffusing what had been until then an awkward and uncomfortable moment.

  While some observers may have found Liao's interruption out of place, insiders interpreted the clown-like move as part of a deliberate publicity stunt amid a power shuffle in the legislature following the KMT's presidential election loss.

  "He's just trying to gain as much as he can while the current legislature remains in chaos," said a KMT legislator who preferred to remain anonymous.

  LIAO THE FREE AGENT

  The "chaos" the lawmaker alluded to can be seen in moves by various party caucuses to look for alliances or any kind of cooperation with their counterparts following the presidential election -- especially following the establishment of failed candidate James Soong's (宋楚瑜) People First Party (PFP).

  Although some KMT legislators said their party -- which still holds a nominal majority -- can continue to influence the lawmaking process and thus check the executive branch and the DPP president, critics said public posturing by the party will be of little use unless KMT legislators are themselves united.

  But unity is precisely what is evading the KMT legislative caucus.

  Liao himself has been busy talking up the probability of joining the PFP because, in his words, "the prospects for KMT reform appear slim." Liao told the Taipei Times that if he crossed the floor, ten other KMT legislators could well follow suit.

  Liao also debunked the functional majority -- 116 seats out of the total 225 -- as "a false majority ... an unsubstantiated majority" that could easily evaporate.

  When serving as the KMT's party whip in the Legislature five years ago, Liao, together with some other KMT legislators, were often dubbed by observers as "experts" on how to maximize personal gains at the KMT's expense by threatening to take its votes elsewhere.

  At that time, the KMT outnumbered opposition parties by a margin of only some half a dozen seats, so that the loss of any KMT votes risked the KMT's power in the legislative chamber.

  Five years later, Liao appears to be making use of the same threat.

  WHO WANTS LIAO?

  Liao's posturing, however, has received a mixed response from both the KMT and the PFP.

  Lin Jung-rong (林建榮), the KMT's legislative caucus whip, urged Liao to think twice before jumping the KMT ship.

  "These KMT lawmakers should think thoroughly about what they are doing before joining the other side," Lin said.

  Sources have said that at an internal KMT meeting last week, acting chairman Lien Chan (連戰) claimed that the party would not accept the "threat" of leaving made by by some KMT legislators.

  But PFP lawmakers themselves are divided over how to handle Liao. Chiu Chuang-liang (邱創良), the PFP's legislative caucus convener, said the time is right for Liao to join the PFP, adding Liao would join the party sometime before Chen's inauguration on May 20.

  But another PFP legislator, who refused to be named, said he could not welcome Liao into the PFP's legislative caucus if he were accepted into the party.

  "Give me a break -- I would never allow him to tarnish our image. He is a dirty person. We're trying to set a precedent for change, okay?" he said.

  The PFP legislator also showed the Taipei Times a party document stating entry into the PFP legislative caucus requires the consent of at least half of the existing caucus members.

  Nicknamed "red envelop Peng" (紅包本), Liao is -- despite his rag-tag appearance caused by persistent health problems -- a seasoned player in the legislature serving his sixth term.

  But the former teacher from Yunlin county, bringing with him complex factional loyalties and interests, has often found himself embroiled in financial scandals and corruption throughout his political career.

  A NEW BID FOR INFLUENCE

  Liao is not the only lawmaker working overtime to consolidate power. KMT lawmaker Liu Ping-wei (劉炳偉), also a former speaker of the Taiwan provincial assembly, has been working behind the scenes to corral his own voting bloc.

  Forced to lay low a year ago after a financial scandal involving his family's Hai Shan group (海山集團) was made public -- triggering a small scale run on a bank and jitters on the stock market -- Liu is now busy planning to re-enter the fray by setting up a legislative "think tank" which has so far won support from some 55 lawmakers.

  "He wants to form an alliance as a way to begin afresh in the Legislative Yuan to exert his influence once again," Huang Shui-hwa (黃淑華), Liu's assistant for the past 18 years, said.

  Huang said "Liu's past experience" has enabled a majority of legislators contacted to reply with an immediate "yes" to an invitation to join the new sub-group, to be called the New Taiwan Policy Research Foundation (新台灣政策研究文教基金會).

  Once established, the group would become the biggest inter-party body in the Legislature, and one that would include KMT, PFP and DPP members, Huang said.

  Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄), the PFP legislative caucus spokesman, said since the orientation of the foundation was to focus on "policy research," he was optimistic about the new group.

  But another, unnamed PFP legislator said it resembled other, similar groups in the past, which all faded with time.

  "Look at the Chin-Cheng Association (親政會) founded not long ago by 40 former Taiwan provincial assembly deputies elected to the legislature. Has it been able to exert any influence here so far?" the lawmaker said.

  "Some have agreed to join Liu's group simply because of old provincial assembly friendships. But we are not ready to be controlled like pieces in some board game," the lawmaker said.

  Whether Liao and Liu can make a comeback in the legislature remains to be seen, but their scramble while the balance of power teeters in the Legislative Yuan points to a strong desire to position themselves on the highest ground possible when the dust finally settles.
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