Lawmakers urged to reject statute

The Cabinet yesterday made a last-ditch appeal to opposition lawmakers to put aside political interests and respect the constitutional system ahead of today's vote on its request to overturn a controversial statute authorizing the formation of a committee to investigate the March 19 shootings.

"We're calling on opposition parties to respect the scientific investigation conducted by forensic expert Henry Lee (李昌鈺) and stop making erroneous accusations," Cabinet Spokesman Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) told a press conference yesterday morning.

According to Lee's investigation report, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) suffered a bullet wound across his abdomen.

Lee also said that the possibility that the wound had been self-inflicted or that the shooting had been staged was minimal.

Opposition parties have said the shooting might have been a political scheme to help boost the president's chances of re-election.

Using its numerical advantage, the opposition pushed through a statute on Aug. 24 to create a special committee to investigate the shooting of Chen and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮).

With the president's approval, the Cabinet, which says the statute violates the Constitution and encroaches on the judicial system, filed a request to the legislature on Sept. 3, asking it to reconsider the controversial legislation.

After receiving a Cabinet request, the legislature is required by the Constitution to convene within seven days and must make a decision within 15 days of the request.

The Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (NPSU) caucus has made it clear that it will cast five of its 11 votes against the Cabinet's request and five for it.

The remaining member will draw lots to determine his or her vote.

To override the Cabinet's veto, at least 109 lawmakers -- a simple majority of the 217 occupied seats in the 225-seat legislature that are presently filled -- have to vote in favor of the statute.

Together, the opposition caucuses have 112 lawmakers, but two KMT lawmakers are currently fugitives, and others may rebel against the party whip.

With five votes from the NPSU, the pan-blue alliance of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP) will probably succeed in rejecting the Cabinet's request and begin the committee's formation.

If the Cabinet's request is rejected, the statute will be sent back to the executive branch, where it must be signed into law by the president.

As the DPP does not enjoy a majority in the legislature, Chen Chi-mai said that the government was "neither pessimistic nor optimistic" about winning today's vote.

"While we'll do whatever we can to persuade opposition lawmakers to endorse our veto motion, we'll respect their final decision and do everything in accordance with the law," he said.

However, should the legislature reject the Cabinet's request, Chen Chi-mai said the Cabinet would also respect the DPP caucus' decision to file for an interpretation from the Council of Grand Justices on the constitutionality of the statute.