Premier denies Cabinet reshuffle

The Presidential Office and the Cabinet yesterday dismissed media reports that the Cabinet would be reshuffled after the Lunar New Year and that infighting has permeated the country's top governmental tier.

Premier Yu Shyi-kun, however, confirmed that defense minister Tang Yao-ming (湯耀明) tendered his resignation twice in the past five months but eventually decided to stay on until February next year when Yu's term comes to an end.

Visiting Nantou County yesterday, Yu said that he has never given any thought to reorganizing the Cabinet.

"What the government needs right now is stability. I don't think it's a good time to reorganize the Cabinet so soon after the legislature passed the government's annual budget and various economy-boosting initiatives," he said.

Speculation is rife that the Cabinet might be reshuffled soon after the Lunar New Year. Positions at issue are those of Vice Premier Lin Hsin-yi (林信義) and Yang Teh-chih (楊德智), chairman of the Veterans Affairs Commission.

Lin, who also chairs the Cabinet's Council for Economic Planning and Development's (經建會), has been criticized for being not up to the job because he holds too many responsibilities.

He also irritated the legislative body last week when he refused to attend a legislative committee's question and answer session.

Opposition lawmakers then reached a consensus to condemn Lin, who in return lambasted the legislature for wasting government officials' time by wanting him to spend an entire day in the legislature answering aimless questions.

Yang, who suffered a stroke last year, reportedly might quit his job because of health reasons.

Despite denying a reshuffle, Yu confirmed that Tang had twice threatened to step down.

"He first mentioned his intent last September and mentioned it again sometime last week," Yu said.

Failing to convince him, Yu said that he turned to the president for help. Tang then decided to stay on until Feb. 1 next year.

According to Yu, Tang's intention had much to do with the government's policy of putting civilians instead of soldiers in charge of the military.

Tang, a former chief of general staff, quit his previous job before taking up his current position.

Yu added that other Cabinet officials have expressed a similar wish to step down, though he refused to disclose their identifies.

Yu also confirmed that the US expressed its wish to see Taiwan's military forces led by a civilian when Yu stopped in the US on his way to Central America .

Meanwhile, James Huang (黃志芳), spokesman for the Presidential Office, denied media speculation that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) is meddling in the Executive Yuan's appointments.

Painting the reports as "groundless," Huang said that the relation between Yu and Chen has not become sour and that the Presidential Office is respecting Yu's authority to reorganize the Cabinet.

"The president has total respect for the premier's authority and complete trust of his ability," Huang said.