In response to heavy criticism by opposition lawmakers, Justice Minister Chen Ding-nan (陳定南) yesterday pledged that he will stay away from any presidential election campaign activities.
"I made my decision to avoid showing up at any occasion relating to the presidential campaign," Chen told a news conference.
"I will not show up at campaign rallies no matter whether the DPP presidential candidates would be present at the scene. I will stay away from gatherings of supporters of certain presidential candidates," he said.
The minister held the news briefing yesterday evening after being overwhelmed by questions from pan-blue legislators over his remark on Tuesday that he would consider stumping for President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen, who is renowned for his clean political image, said on Tuesday that he would consider showing up at President Chen's campaign rallies to explain policies formulated by the DPP government.
The minister's statements outraged the pan-blue coalition members at the legislature yesterday. They grilled Chen in the Judiciary Committee and said that the minister's remarks not only impaired his authority, but also violated his expected administrative neutrality.
Leaders of pan-blue legislative caucuses demanded Chen resign from his post as punishment for his improper conduct.
Even the DPP caucus suggested that the justice minister might not be a suitable person to stump for President Chen.
Meanwhile, Premier Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday that despite the sensitive nature of their positions, it is necessary for a justice minister and a personnel director-general to defend government policies, but they should exercise utmost prudence in doing so.
"Due to partisan and responsible politics, any political functionaries are obliged to explain or defend government initiatives, except for those deemed inappropriate or banned from engaging in campaigning activities by the Constitution and existing laws," Cabinet Spokesman Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) quoted Yu as saying yesterday morning.
"They should, however, exercise utmost prudence doing so in terms of time, place and leverage," he said.
Yu made the remarks during the weekly closed-door Cabinet meeting in response to Chen Ding-nan's announcement that he will rally for the prresident's re-election bid in his capacity as justice minister.
According to Lin, Chen Ding-nan's decision had a lot to do with his apprehension over the opposition alliance's twisting and stigmatizing the ministry's crackdown efforts on vote-buying in the run-up to the presidential election.
"The accusations get worse as the date for the presidential poll is drawing closer," Lin said.
"As the minister enjoys a favorable cachet and reputation, we believe he'll adhere to the law and practice wisdom while promoting the ministry's initiatives and efforts undertaken over the years," he said.
Yu yesterday also set down the guidelines of "two dos and two don'ts" for civil servants to follow while stumping for candidates.
The "two dos" are to promote government policies with action and to canvass support with rational concepts. The "two don'ts" are not to mobilize civil servants to stump for political candidates and not to use government sources to campaign for candidates.
Chen Shui-bian's campaign spokesman, Wu Nai-jen (
"We'll keep in line with the rules set down by former premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
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