Opposition party lawmakers yesterday threatened to impeach President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen made his announcement yesterday afternoon. Minutes after the announcement, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
"He [the president] told me that he would use the words `to cease' instead of `to abolish,'" he said.
PHOTO: CNA
Wang did not say whether he would endorse his fellow pan-blue lawmakers' proposal to impeach the president.
"The president's announcement seems to be a sign that he is leading this country one step closer to independence," KMT Policy Committee director Tseng Yung-chuan (
Tseng said that he would support the proposal to impeach the president, and would also encourage his fellow KMT lawmakers to do so.
An impeachment signature drive was launched by KMT Legislator Ting Shou-chung (
An impeachment proposal would have to be approved by two-thirds of the lawmakers in the 225-seat Legislative Yuan to move past the first reading.
"Now that the idea to impeach the president has become a proposal, we will attempt to submit it to the legislature for initial review as soon as next Tuesday," Tseng said.
People First Party (PFP) caucus whip Lu Hsueh-chang (
"We need to teach him [the president] a lesson and let him know that we are not happy about this," Lu said.
Meanwhile, the whips of the legislative caucuses of the KMT, the PFP and the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union said they would demand that the premier brief the legislature on the decision-making process behind the policy.
Also, street protests might be "unavoidable" to keep Chen from scrapping the National Unification Council (NUC) and its guidelines, a PFP spokesman said.
KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
Ma said semantics was not the key issue and that "what the public is concerned about are the issues that relate to their daily lives."
At a time when the nation is plagued with so many economic problems, Ma said, the president had stoked a controversial political issue that would not benefit the public.
"The president has the wrong priorities in setting his political agenda," Ma said.
"The president's proposal to do away with the NUC has rocked Taiwan-US and cross-strait relations," he said.
"The public hopes that the president will refocus on what he should do," he said, adding that if "he insists on going down this controversial path, history will record it."
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
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COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
DEFENDING FREEDOM: Taiwanese love peace and helping others, and hope to be a positive force in the world, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim told ‘Weltspiegel’ Taiwan is making every effort to prevent war in the face of China’s hybrid coercion tactics and military threats, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said in an interview with German public broadcaster ARD’s program Weltspiegel that aired on Monday. Taiwan is not seeking provocation or intending to disrupt international order, but “must possess the capacity for self-defense,” a news release issued by the Presidential Office yesterday quoted her as saying. Taiwan is closely watching not only the increasing scope and frequency of Chinese military exercises around the nation, but also Beijing’s hybrid and cognitive warfare tactics, including manipulating public opinion, fostering
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