KMT paper proposed May coup

Local media unleashed what at first appeared to be bombshell of a report yesterday, revealing KMT plans to launch a no-confidence vote against Premier Chang Chun-hsiung's (張俊雄) Cabinet in May in hopes of triggering early legislative elections.

But once the smoke cleared, the KMT categorically denied the idea was part of the party's strategy and it became apparent that the document was actually leaked to the press by a member of the DPP.

KMT spokesman Wang Chih-kang (王志剛) said some academics have proposed a no-confidence vote in certain KMT-solicited research on constitutional issues, but that the party has not adopted the proposal.

"This is a suggestion put forth by individual academics. The decision to raise a no-confidence vote will depend on the overall political situation and on public opinion," Wang said.

Wang, however, questioned the DPP's motives in publicizing the information.

The information was published by local newspapers yesterday, following the divulgence of a KMT research paper focusing on such a strategy for the upcoming legislative election.

DPP Central Standing Committee member Lawrence Gao (高志鵬), who received the paper from friends working in the KMT, passed the information to the media.

The research paper, written in early March, recommends that the KMT seek support for the no-confidence vote by conducting a series of opinion polls on the policies of the DPP government to highlight its low support rating -- a theme that would be timely for President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) inaugural anniversary on May 20.

The paper says that June would be an ideal time for a no-confidence vote, which would force a dissolution and reelection of the legislature by the end of August.

This would mean holding the legislative election three months in advance of the originally-planned election in early December.

The paper says the KMT would benefit from an early vote because this would effectively separate the legislative election from local government elections.

The DPP and People First Party (PFP) would then be unable to use the popularity of their candidates running for local government positions to help boost legislative campaigns.

In addition, it argues that early elections would simplify inter-party cooperation in the year-end elections by limiting the cooperation to the local government elections, and prevent KMT supporters from confusing their party affiliation.

The KMT is currently planning to cooperate with the PFP in local government elections, but at the same time may risk losing votes to the PFP in the legislative election because of the overlapping support base of the two parties.

The paper was presented for discussion in a meeting of the DPP's Central Standing Committee yesterday. After the meeting, the DPP issued a statement urging the KMT to abandon partisan and personal interests and give way to national interests.

"Since its defeat in the March presidential election last year, the KMT has resorted to different tactics in an attempt to paralyze the executive branch. It is not surprising that a research group within the KMT has come up with a strategy to overthrow the Cabinet," the statement said.

In response, KMT spokeswoman Chen Feng-hsin (陳鳳馨) said the DPP should stop trying to "sow discord" in other parties.

James Chen (陳健治), a legislator and deputy director of the KMT's Policy Committee, said discussion about raising a no-confidence vote took place a few months ago, after a plan to recall President Chen over the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (核四) dispute did not come to fruition.