The pan-blue camp's lawyers said yesterday they would appeal to the Supreme Court today regarding a verdict declared by the High Court on Nov. 4, that ruled the re-election of President Chen Shui-bian (
The lawyers said they would file the appeal against Chen and Lu at court today. They plan to hold a press conference afterward to explain why they decided to make the move.
Meanwhile, voters that wish to maintain the status quo and support constitutional reforms should vote for pan-blue camp candidates in the upcoming legislative elections, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
Responding to Chen's campaign speech on Saturday night, Lien called on Chen to clearly identify his position on changes to Taiwan's Constitution in order to give voters a better idea of whom to pick in the Dec. 11 elections.
In his speech on Saturday, Chen identified a number of constitutional reforms he supported, calling for "an end to the use of the Chinese constitutional law in Taiwan." Last night, however, Chen deliberately left open the question of whether he believes Taiwan should completely rewrite its Constitution or merely reform the existing one.
There are many differing opinions in Taiwan about whether to revise Taiwan's Constitution or write a new one, Lien said yesterday.
The KMT, People First Party (PFP), and the New Party support making reforms to the Constitution, in order to tailor the nation's constitutional law to suit Taiwan's current needs, Lien said yesterday while stumping for pan-blue candidate Alex Fei (費鴻泰) in Taipei.
Fei is a New Party member who is running under the KMT banner in Taipei's north voting district.
In contrast, Chen has still not made clear whether he supports rewriting or just reforming the Constitution, Lien said yesterday, adding that such ambiguity is confusing for voters.
"People who support rewriting the Constitution, should vote for that `little party' [the Taiwanese Solidarity Union (TSU)]. Those who support constitutional reform, should vote for KMT, PFP and New Party candidates," Lien said yesterday.
While Chen and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have been unclear about whether they support completely rewriting or just reforming the Constitution, the TSU's spiritual leader, former president Lee Teng-hui (
In a press release issued by the KMT late Saturday night after Chen's speech, KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung (張榮恭) criticized Chen's call for putting an end to the use of the Chinese Constitution as a misunderstanding of the current situation and a move towards independence for Taiwan.
In the statement, Chang said that the Constitution used by Taiwan was never called the "Chinese Constitution" but is instead the Constitution of the Republic of China.
As a result, Chang warned, Chen's words could be interpreted by China to mean that the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China's constitution includes Taiwan.
Furthermore, said Chang, while Taiwan's people and the KMT do not support the positions held forth in China's constitution, they value the status quo.
Chen's direct call for an end to the use of a Chinese constitution in Taiwan will only derail any chances for cross-strait peace, Chang said.
While on the campaign trial in Taipei County, PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) also criticized Chen's comments, highlighting in particular Chen's call to eliminate the Taiwan Province level of government.
In 1997, the provincial administration was streamlined through constitutional changes.
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
CHANGES: After-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during vacations or after-school study periods must not be used to teach new material, the ministry said The Ministry of Education yesterday announced new rules that would ban giving tests to most elementary and junior-high school students during morning study and afternoon rest periods. The amendments to regulations governing public education at elementary schools and junior high schools are to be implemented on Aug. 1. The revised rules stipulate that schools are forbidden to use after-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during summer or winter vacation or after-school study periods to teach new course material. In addition, schools would be prohibited from giving tests or exams to students in grades one to eight during morning study and afternoon break periods, the
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition
Advocates of the rights of motorcycle and scooter riders yesterday protested in front of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei, making three demands. They were joined by 30 passenger vehicles, which surrounded the ministry to make three demands related to traffic regulations — that motorcycles and scooters above 250cc be allowed on highways, that all motorcycles and scooters be allowed on inside lanes, and that driver and rider training programs be reformed. The ministry said that it has no plans to allow motorcycles on national highways for the time being, and said that motorcycles would be allowed on the inner