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Greens give Wang some advice

Democratic Progressive Party Legislators Ker Chien-ming, left, and Tsai Huang-liang pose during during a press conference yesterday after suggesting that Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng be appointed to replace Control Yuan President Fredrick Chien. Both Wang and Chien are members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday said that he was willing to recommend that Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) serve as the president of Control Yuan, saying only if Wang left the Legislative Yuan could the influence of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), who ordered the pan-blue camp's lawmakers to boycott reformative bills and create an unconstitutional committee, be eliminated.

Chen made the remarks during a campaign rally held yesterday in Hsinchu City.

Chen said Wang failed to maintain his impartiality in the legislature and instead became a spokesperson for Lien and Soong.

"I hope that Wang will not become the second former Legislative Speaker Liu Soong-fan (劉松藩)," Chen said.

Chen also assured that the government will dedicate in passing the bills concerning financial reforms in the legislature if the pan-green camp wins the majority in the upcoming elections.

During his campaign speech, Chen also praised Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲), who is currently participating in the APEC summit in Chile, crediting Lee with helping him to win the 2000 presidential election.

The Democratic Progressive Party(DPP) legislative caucus inserted itself into the pan-blue opposition's internal politics yesterday, announcing that they will recommend Legislative Yuan speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) as the next Control Yuan speaker.

They also called for Wang to give up competing for the position of the chairman of the Chinese National Party (KMT) in order to maintain his good name.

The recommendation was dis-missed by the KMT as an insincere election tactic aimed at embarrassing Wang and sowing division in the pan-blue camp.

High ranking personnel in the KMT anonymously told the media yesterday that Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) will announce his bid to be KMT chairman after next month's legislative elections.

The sources also said that Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) had originally planned for Wang to take over his place, and that if Ma announced his intention to join the race, the KMT would be in danger of becoming even more divided.

In response to those reports, DPP legislative caucus leader Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) and caucus whip Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) announced at a press conference yesterday morning that they wanted to see Wang Jin-pyng avoid controversy.

They recommended that he follow former DPP chairman Lin I-hsiung's (林義雄) example of stepping aside to avoid a political battle and preserve his integrity. Lin voluntarily gave up his DPP chairmanship to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) after Chen won the 2000 presidential election, thereby avoiding a fight for the position.

"The distance from the Legislative Yuan to the Control Yuan is only a matter of meters -- a road's width apart. But the KMT's internal struggle between Wang and Ma is going to be a long and dangerous road," Ker said.

In response, the KMT legislative caucus said the DPP's recommendation of Wang was designed to confuse the public, and was insincere as it came on the heels of the pan-green camp's strong criticism of Wang.

"They used to defame Legislative Yuan Speak Wang every day and now all of the sudden they are recommending him? Isn't this a bit fake?" KMT legislative caucus leader Huang The-fu (黃德福) said.

"We recommend that President Chen appoint Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) to be the Control Yuan speaker at the same time, and let her directly lead the 319 committee," said Huang The-fu said.

Just last week many DPP legislators and DPP Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) openly condemned Wang for allowing "black gold" politics to exist during his term, thereby bringing disgrace to the Legislative Yuan.
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