The "combat Cabinet" won its first battle on Tuesday, as Premier Yu Shyi-kun reinforced his reputation as the man capable of implementing President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) political will when he steered the pan-green camp to victory in overturning amendments to the budget allocation law.
The victory was a welcome morale-boost for the DPP, still reeling from its defeat in the election for legislative vice speaker. It also exposed weaknesses in the opposition alliance that the Cabinet can manipulate when it lobbies for bills in the future.
"Yu's talent for coordination was one of the major reasons President Chen picked him as premier. In pushing for the reconsideration motion, Premier Yu and Cabinet Secretary-General Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) showed their skill and extraordinary patience once again.
"They also evaluated the whole situation accurately and effectively while maintaining the dignity of the government without ruffling the feathers of the opposition," said a presidential aide.
The aide said that while Chen does not intend to compare Yu and his predecessor, Chang Chung-hsiung (張俊雄), Yu is known for his ability to avoid aggravating ten-sions, which "helped to cool passions in the ruling and opposition parties."
Following the tense vote on Tuesday, Chen made a public appeal for all parties to engage in rational debate and strive to come up with reasonable and fair amendments to the budget allocation law.
"None of the parties in the vote was a loser. [The result] enables everything to return to zero and all of us can think this over," Chen said as he met with environmental groups yesterday morning.
The presidential aide said that Yu's victory in the new Cabinet's first major test and the successful way in which he and Lee cooperated and lobbied had enhanced Chen's faith in both of them and would result in their being granted a greater say in the decision-making process.
"President Chen is now considering broadening the decision-making mechanism. The nine-member decision-making body -- consisting of members of the Presidential Office, the Executive Yuan and the DPP -- will be abolished.
"A decision-making team, which is expected to include about 30 people will be formed, giving the Cabinet greater initiative," the aide said.
In addition, the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), which stood side-by-side with the DPP in both the vice speaker's race and the motion to reconsider the budget allocation law, is also going to be incorporated into the DPP's decision-making mechanism -- a move that indicates the stability of the so-called Bian-Lee alliance (扁李體制) between Chen and former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝).
"Once the TSU becomes a part of the decision-making body, the Bian-Lee mechanism will continue to dominate Taiwan's politics, while friction will pop up between the KMT and PFP in the Lian-Soong alliance over the elections," said DPP legislator Chen Chi-mia (陳其邁).
Hong Chi-chang (洪奇昌), the DPP's defeated candidate for the vice speakership, agreed the vote exposed weaknesses in the opposition alliance, such as the KMT's internal discipline and the allegiances of the party's Aboriginal lawmakers.
These are the Achilles' heels of the opposition, which may give the Executive Yuan room to maneuver as it seeks to pass controversial legislation in the future, he said.
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