Opposition parties pooh- pooh Chen's statement

Top officials of two opposition parties voiced similar criticisms yesterday about President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) statement, saying they saw no indication that Chen was sincere about engaging in self-reflection.

Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權), executive director of the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) policy coordination department, said he thought Chen's promise to fulfill his mandate was "nothing but an attempt to rationalize his desire to cement administrative power."

"What has to be done, has been done," he said, referring to the call from a group of pan-green academics asking Chen to step down in order to shoulder political responsibility for the damage caused to the presidency and government by a spate of corruption scandals involving Chen's in-laws and aides.

"People will feel disappointed that Chen has made it clear that he will not resign and will carry through his mission and mandate," Tseng said.

Tseng said the "uncompleted mission" that Chen mentioned in his statement was actually "keeping the DPP in power."

"It is not a mission dedicated to the welfare of the people," Tseng claimed, noting that he believed people would make the "right judgment" about the president's statement.

Asked whether the KMT would push for another motion to recall the president in the legislature or for a no-confidence vote in the premier, Tseng said that the party has set up a task force to study the issues.

People First Party caucus whip Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) claimed that Chen's unwillingness to step down meant that "the country will be running in neutral" for the remaining two years of Chen's second and final term in office.

Commenting on Chen's statement, Lee said that the president has never engaged in self-reflection over the past six years, and so there's little reason for people to expect him to do so in the next two years.