Hsieh explains Chen's remarks

Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday interceded for President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who has said the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will not hesitate to block a cross-strait peace advancement bill proposed by the People First Party (PFP), even if it means spilling blood.

"I believe what the president meant is that violent conflicts are inevitable in the legislature if the pan-blue camp insists on using their numerical advantage to forcibly pass the controversial peace advancement bill," Hsieh said.

Hsieh made the remark in response to a question filed by People First Party (PFP) Legislator Lin Te-fu (林德福) during the morning question-and-answer session on the legislative floor.

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) later told reporters that the PFP will likely adjust the peace advancement bill.

"As far as I know, the PFP is in the process of re-examining the bill and might make some changes," he said, adding that he does not want to see any more bloodshed on the legislative floor.

While Wang said that priority will be placed on the organic bill of the national communications commission (NCC), he added that it was too early to tell whether the more contentious peace advancement bill would clear the legislature during the current legislative session.

Wang also dismissed speculation that he was the "pan-blue heavyweight" that Chen had said viewed evidence proving that PFP Chairman James Soong met (宋楚瑜) secretly with the director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), during a trip to the US earlier this year.

Describing Chen as "mentally unbalanced," PFP caucus whip Hwang Yih-jiau (黃義交) said that his caucus would not succumb to intimidation and will continue to push for the passage of the peace advancement bill while remaining flexible at the negotiating table.

"While the leader of an authoritarian regime pretends to love his or her people, we are surprised to hear our president make such a gruesome remark about a bill," he said. "According to the professional judgment made by Vice Chairman Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄), President Chen might be suffering from an unbalanced mental disorder."

Hwang said the bill is not a "capitulation bill" as claimed by the pan-green parties, but instead is an "economic revitalization bill" designed to correct the economic policies established during Chen's term.

If the pan-green parties have problems with enshrining the "1992 consensus" in the law, Hwang said that they were willing to conduct a rational debate and be flexible.

Hwang called for the Chen administration to ask for a constitutional interpretation from the Council of Grand Justices or request the Executive Yuan to ask the Legislative Yuan reconsider the bill if it clears the legislature.

DPP caucus whip William Lai (賴清德), however, said that the proposed legislation was a bill of surrender and that his caucus would oppose it in a bid to safeguard the nation's sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Hsieh yesterday told the legislature that government appointees serving at government-funded institutions would be banned from receiving bonuses, starting this year.

As for whether the measure would be retroactive to previous years, Minister of Finance Lin Chuan (林全) said that the issue required more study and the ministry will not consider reclaiming previous bonuses until it seeks the opinion of legal experts.

Facing lawmakers' questioning that 16 high-ranking managers at the High Speed Rail received high salaries -- totaling NT$100 million (US$2.98 million) -- Hsieh said that the government will strengthen internal and external supervision.

Hsieh, however, added that it was unreasonable to criticize the company's high salary model because it depends on a person's qualifications and expertise.