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DPP, TSU oppose idea of forming KMT-led Cabinet

In reaction to a report that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) could allow the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) form a new Cabinet, both the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) said they opposed the idea because such a move would only cause more political uncertainty and instability.

DPP spokesman Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) pointed out yesterday that the current political climate is not mature enough to facilitate that idea and that the DPP has not discussed the issue.

"I don't think the time is ripe for the majority party to form a Cabinet. Such a transfer of power would require consensus within the DPP and the agreement of the DPP's supporters -- otherwise it will only cause more problems," Tsai said.

DPP Secretary-General Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday said that even though the pan-blue camp could pass a no-confidence vote to disband the Cabinet, according to the Constitution, only the president has the power to appoint a new premier, and the appointment does not need the approval of the legislature.

"It is not necessary for the president to disband the legislature after the Cabinet resigns. The president has the authority to disband or not disband the legislature depending on his judgment of the political situation," Lin said. "In that regard, empowering the political party that holds a legislative majority to form a Cabinet is not necessarily a constitutional requirement."

Lin urged opposition parties to think twice on launching a no-confidence vote because Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) is poised to launch changes, and the DPP believes that a stable political situation is the common expectation of the Taiwanese people.

DPP Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) echoed Lin, saying that the opposition parties should give Su's team more time to work on economic development and not stir up trouble because of their political self-interest.

Although DPP Legislator Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) agreed that the time is not ripe for a pan-blue led Cabinet, he suggested that Su invite the opposition parties to jointly organize a coalition government in order to resolve the current political impasse.

"Premier Su might prove that he is a better presidential candidate than other DPP hopefuls or Chinese Nationalist Party Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) by sharing power and coordinating with the opposition parties," Cheng said.

Meanwhile, TSU Secretary-General Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) said that if the president recalls Su and allows the pan-blues to organize a Cabinet, the DPP might face infighting because the DPP's New Tide (新潮流) faction, which is close to Su, would oppose the move.

TSU caucus whip David Huang (黃適卓) said that he opposed the idea of a pan-blue Cabinet.

"We hope that President Chen will ... be a guardian for Taiwan, not just give in to the power of the opposition parties," Huang said.

Huang said that it would be unreasonable either to topple the Cabinet or ask someone else to replace Su.

"Su hasn't done anything wrong since taking office and the scandals relating to Chen's in-laws had nothing to do with Su," Huang said. "Asking either Su or Chen to be blame for Chen's detained son-in-law would be going too far."

Additional reporting by Shih Hsiu-chuan
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