Wang's lack of support for DPP disappoints Lee

Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) is disappointed with Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) for failing to help the DPP win the vice speaker election, Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Huang Chu-wen (黃主文) told the Taipei Times.

"Wang visited Lee on Saturday, the day after the Legislative Yuan's vice speaker election, and former president Lee expressed his dissatisfaction directly to Wang," Huang said.

TSU lawmaker Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) and party spokesman Lee Hsien-jen (李先仁) have both strongly criticized Wang over the past two days. They stressed that Wang promised to convince several KMT lawmakers to support Hong in the election but said that Wang had cheated the party and Lee.

DPP lawmaker Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) also confirmed yesterday that Lee questioned Wang during Saturday's meeting about why Wang didn't keep his promise to reciprocate in the vice speaker election, given that the DPP and TSU jointly supported him to win the contest for speaker with a landslide victory.

"Lee asked Wang: `did you cast your ballot for Hong Chi-chung (洪奇昌), vice speaker candidate for the DPP?' Wang just remained silent," Chen said.

Chen said that the new speaker explained his predicament to Lee, with Wang stating that the KMT had threatened to expel any of its lawmakers who voted for the DPP candidate.

Meanwhile, one of Wang's aides denied that Wang had made any commitment to the DPP, saying the support from Lee did not come with strings attached.

"If there was any commitment, the DPP should speak out to the public," a close aide to Wang said.

"If not, then the DPP shouldn't blame others for its misjudgment or its failure to work hard enough."

Wang has cancelled all public activities to avoid further comment on the matter.

The aide told reporters that no one knows the details of Lee's meeting with Wang and that stories about the former president's anger are simply rumors.

"The truth is that the DPP's Chen Chi-mai phoned Wang on Wednesday night," the aide said. "Chen pressured Wang to clearly show `goodwill' in the vice speaker election, but the speaker didn't make any promises."

Chen Chi-mai told reporters that he made the phone call because he was representing the DPP's legislative caucus in ensuring Wang's support.

"As for any commitment, we believe that such things should be made between Wang, President Chen and former president Lee. After all, they can contact each other directly," Chen Chi-mai said.

Meanwhile, Huang said that Lee fears the pan-blue victory indicates that the DPP still lacks a strategy to win political battles in the Legislative Yuan.

"President Chen has been overly optimistic since he led the ruling DPP to win the legislative election in December," Huang said.

"That gave the KMT and PFP an opportunity to successfully control the Legislative Yuan."