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Cabinet idea divides pan-blues

Presidential Office Secretary-General Mark Chen visits a local food fair in Matsu yesterday. Chen said that the opposition's attempts to recall the president are not justified because the president has not been implicated in any wrongdoing. PHOTO: CHEN TSE-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

A report that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) may invite the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to form a Cabinet in order to break through the current political impasse sparked different reactions within the pan-blue camp yesterday, with hardliners insisting that only Chen's resignation will placate them.

The Chinese-language newspaper the China Times yesterday reported that the president has been considering allowing the KMT, which has a legislative majority with its pan-blue allies, to form a Cabinet.

The move could relieve the mounting political pressure on Chen, who is facing calls to resign amid a string of allegations about corruption involving government officials and the first family.

The report came after an appeal from Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who publicly called on Chen to allow a pan-blue Cabinet a day after meeting with Chen on Thursday.

Wang yesterday praised the idea, saying that Chen should have invited the opposition to create a Cabinet long ago in order to stabilize the political situation.

"In accordance with the spirit of the Constitution, the Cabinet is supposed to be formed by the legislative majority," Wang said.

Wang denied that Chen had discussed the issue -- or possible pan-blue premier candidates -- with him during a meeting on Thursday when Chen informed him about the decision to hand over some of his powers to Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌).

In order to make Chen take responsibility for the recent string of scandals, the pan-blue camp has been pushing several options including demanding that Chen step down, recalling him or holding a no-confidence vote to topple Su and his Cabinet. But Wang said that having Chen choose a KMT premier would be the most practical solution.

"Of course the KMT should form a Cabinet. Only when the legislative majority organizes the Cabinet can the Cabinet's policies be implemented," Wang said.

Wang said earlier that recalling the president or holding a no-confidence vote in the premier would both present difficulties. A recall motion would be an uphill battle because pan-green legislators aren't likely to give the support needed to recall threshold of a two-thirds majority in the legislature. A no-confidence vote would be problematic because it could lead to the disbanding of the legislature, and since the legislative redistricting plan has not yet been approved, a new round of legislative elections would be difficult.

People First Party (PFP) legislators, however, said yesterday that the party strongly opposed the idea of the president appointing a KMT premier.

"The president should step down for recent scandals and corruption rather than treat the power of forming a Cabinet as a means to lure opposition parties and calm political turmoil," PFP caucus whip Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) said.

PFP legislators insisted on demanding that Chen resign, with Legislator Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄) saying that the party will continue to take to the streets to protest every Saturday if Chen rejects their demand.
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