The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-People First Party (PFP) alliance yesterday said that the alliance would lead the public to initiate a referendum, should President Chen Shui-bian's (
"If there is no formal response from President Chen Shui-bian by April 10 concerning the establishment of the special law, the KMT-PFP alliance will then initiate a petition to hold a referendum by May 20 [the day of the presidential inauguration] demanding the establishment of an investigation committee to look into the facts surrounding the whole shooting incident," KMT spokesman Alex Tsai (
During the attack on Chen on the eve of the election, bullets grazed Chen's stomach and hit Vice President Annette Lu's (
Chen defeated the joint ticket of KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
Lien refused to concede defeat and, claiming voting irregularities, filed a lawsuit demanding a recount. Lien also raised questions about the shooting incident, claiming that the launch of the national security mechanism following the shooting had prevented a large number of military personnel from voting. The MND has since denied such claims.
"If the government refuses the alliance's call to assemble the `truth investigation commission,' it means the government is guilty," said Tsai.
Tsai added that in the meanwhile the alliance would also push for a special law to be passed and enacted in the Legislative Yuan to provide a legal basis for the establishment of the committee and empower it with the authority to carry out the necessary investigation.
To ensure the neutrality of the "truth investigation committee" transcends party lines and has no conflicts of interest, Tsai said the committee could be formed with Control Yuan President Frederick Chien (
The pan-blue camp is slated to stage a mass demonstration Saturday on Ketagalan Boulevard to push for its call for its causes. Tsai yesterday said that the alliance would reconsider the option of canceling the demonstration if Chen responds the alliance's calls with goodwill.
"If the government however insists on blocking [the alliance's] proposals, then a higher level of resistance and demonstration would be the only way left to go," said Tsai.
In response to the pan-blue camp's call, Premier Yu Shyi-kun, noting that the creation of such a committee does not comply with the constitutional principle of division of power for the five-branch government system, criticized the alliance's desire to create an "unconstitutional" committee.
"Taiwan is a democratic country ruled by laws," said Yu. "The KMT-PFP alliance's demand of the government to assemble a multiparty `truth investigation committee' does not fit with the constitutional system, but does raise the concern of conflicting with the Constitution."
Democratic Progressive Party Deputy Secretary General Lee Chin-yung (
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost