KMT to reject cut in lawmakers

The "pan-blue" forces yesterday declined to endorse a TSU proposed-amendment to the Constitution to cut the number of legislative seats by half.

The TSU is expected to raise the proposal today.

KMT legislative caucus whip Lin Yi-shih (林益世) said there is no way his caucus could support the proposal when its exact substance remains in question.

Lin suggested that his caucus had to be careful that the TSU not include anything discriminatory to the KMT in the amendment package, such as rules blocking non-Taiwan-born politicians from running for the presidency.

Many observers believe this proposal, raised by some TSU lawmakers, is targeted at Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), who were born in Kong Hong and China's Hunan Province, respectively.

Though Ma has not indicated an intention to run for the presidency, he is considered the KMT's most likely candidate for the 2004 race. Soong, on the other hand, has never concealed his ambition to make a second bid for the nation's highest office, after losing to Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) by a narrow margin in 2000.

The PFP caucus would not support the TSU's amendment, either, on the grounds that it has its own plan to reform the legislature.

PFP legislative caucus convener Diane Lee (李慶安) said her caucus thinks it is necessary to reduce the number of legislative seats, but it is a debatable question as to whether cutting the number by half is the best option.

Lee said that the PFP caucus would put forth its own amendment plan to address the issue.

In the meantime, the TSU lawmakers are actively lobbying for support of the proposal. It requires the signatures of at least one-quarter of the 225 lawmakers to make the proposal valid.

"There won't be a problem reaching the 25 percent threshold by tomorrow. We will definitely make the proposal tomorrow," Lo Chih-ming (羅志明), spokesman for the TSU legislative caucus, told the Taipei Times yesterday evening.

He said the TSU initiated the proposal because it would like to honor its campaign promise, with the goal being to raise the efficiency of the legislature.

Calling upon lawmakers across the political spectrum to make good on their campaign commitments, Lo said that the initiative was listed as a campaign promise by at least 175 lawmakers.

"If [those lawmakers] fail to keep their promises, we will make public their names. Let the public be the judge," he added.

Questioned how the TSU would counter opposition from other lawmakers, as the proposal would certainly affect their political futures, TSU Secretary-General Lin Jih-chia (林志嘉) said that the party puts the country's stability over the future of individual lawmakers.

"The TSU will do its utmost to achieve this goal for the sake of the country. Whether lawmakers can be re-elected is not our concern," said Lin.

DPP legislators endorsed this proposal.

Wang Tuoh (王拓), the DPP's legislative whip, said there was no reason for the DPP to oppose the proposal, because halving the number of legislative seats has been the consensus of the party.

In Wang's opinion, the point at issue is what the best size should be for the legislature. He said that the DPP would soon present its own version, and when it was done, the parties would discuss the merits of different versions to find the best one.

The proposed constitutional amendment has to be presented to the procedural committee to decide when it can proceed to the Legislature for a first reading.