Shih Ming-te says `goodbye' to DPP despite call to stay

Former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-te (施明德) yesterday reaffirmed that he will quit the DPP, saying he had no wish to remain a DPP member.

Responding to Shih's move yesterday to leave the party, Deputy DPP Secretary-General Hsu Yang-ming (許陽明) said incumbent DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) will push for the adoption of an official resolution in the party's Central Standing Committee meeting today to ask Shih to stay.

Hsu said the DPP still considers Shih a party member, because those intending to quit the party are required to state their intention in writing to the executive committee of his or her local party division.

Shih, currently a legislator, said he had clearly expressed his intention to quit the party when he wrote in September last year to then-DPP Chairman Lin I-hsiung (林義雄), enclosing his DPP membership card.

Though Lin asked Shih to stay, he refused.

"To be precise, I had already quit the party," Shih said.

Shih, who over the past year has participated in DPP legislative caucus activities, recently decided to quit the caucus altogether.

Though Shih declined to make any "criticism" of the DPP yesterday, his disappointment with the DPP government led by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was widely believed to be a reason behind his decision.

On Monday, Shih echoed opposition politicians by calling on Chen to abide by Taiwan's Constitution and recognize the spirit of the semi-presidential system as a way to calm the on-going political turmoil.

According to Shih, replacing Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) and appointing a new premier endorsed by the majority of legislators was an essential step to follow the rules of a semi-presidency and to ensure political stability, in light of the fact that the DPP is a minority party in the legislature.

Shih said replacing the premier was the only option for the DPP now that it had missed its chance to form a "majority ruling alliance" in the legislature.

In the months before Chen's inauguration in May, Shih had proposed that the DPP join an opposition party to form a "majority ruling alliance" in the legislature to ensure that the DPP government could muster enough support for its policies.

Chen, however, turned down this proposal.

The three major opposition parties -- the KMT, People First Party and New Party -- were quick to form into an "opposition alliance" after the DPP government announced its decision to scrap the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (核四) project on Oct. 27.

Shih yesterday again urged Chen to conduct constructive negotiations and discussion with the opposition parties to win their support, and stop "paying lip service."

"Power isn't enough to rule a country. It's influence that counts. Honesty, reputation and loyalty to the country are what backs up one's influence," Shih said.