The People First Party (PFP) and KMT yesterday lashed out at the DPP's plan to amend the Constitu-tion to change the governmental system to a three-branch presidential model.
The PFP threatened to unite all non-DPP-governed counties and cities to cease remitting taxation revenue to the DPP-controlled central government, as part of a movement to oppose the DPP's plan.
The KMT, on the other hand, urged the DPP to equip itself with a "democratic sense" to abide by the Constitution before trying to amend it to "monopolize power."
The two parties made their positions clear just one day after the Presidential Office unveiled its two-stage plan to complete the constitutional reform by 2006.
The plan was put forth by the Government Reform Committee (政府改造委員會), a consultative body to the president.
According to the plan, the first stage of amendments would involve parliamentary reform and is scheduled to be completed before the 2004 presidential election. Changes to the governmental system would be handled in the second stage of amendments.
Responding to the opposition parties, Presidential Office spokes-woman Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪) said the plan put forth by the Government Reform Committee is intended for the president's reference only.
Kuo said the Presidential Office will set up a constitutional reform committee consisting of party representatives to discuss the issue.
The DPP won 87 out of the total of 225 legislative seats for the next legislature set to start in February, but it is impossible for the party to amend the Constitution without the help of the KMT and PFP, which collectively control 114 seats.
According to the Constitution, a constitutional amendment may be drawn up and submitted to the National Assembly for ratification upon the proposal of one-fourth of the members of the legislature or by a resolution of three-fourths of the members present at a meeting which has a quorum of three-fourths of the legislators.
The same threshold is required before the amendment can pass the National Assembly.
PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-ping (
"This is the kind of phenomenon that occurs in autocratic countries, in which the dictators launch constitutional reforms to tailor-make their powers," Hsieh said.
Although the number of legislative seats controlled by the DPP saw significant growth in the Dec. 1 legislative elections, the electorate has not conferred upon the DPP any duty to amend the Constitution, Hsieh argued.
KMT spokesman Wu Ching-ji (吳清基), meanwhile, said no political party or politician should make constitutional reform a tool to achieve dictatorship.
Wu said the KMT insists that inter-party negotiations be held to discuss the best reform package for Taiwan, as almost all countries practicing a presidential system have ended up with a dictatorship, with the exception of the US.
Before anything else, efficient checks and balances should be established to protect the rights and interests of the people, Wu said.
Wu said that the real problem now is that the DPP, after coming to power, has refused to abide by the very same Constitution that it played a part in amending.
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