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KMT hardliner takes aim at Chang Chun-hsiung

A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) official suggested yesterday that the party join forces with the People First Party (PFP) to topple incoming premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄).

KMT Vice Chairman Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正) made the suggestion during the party's weekly Central Standing Committee meeting yesterday.

PFP legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅崑萁) told a press conference on Tuesday that his party had decided to topple Chang.

The PFP, which controls 21 of 217 legislative seats, would be unable to launch a no-confidence vote against the premier without the help of the KMT, because it requires the support of one-third of the legislature.

The Constitution states the president is entitled to dissolve the legislature and call new elections if the premier is ousted.

At the time of Fu's proposal, the KMT appeared lukewarm about the idea, with KMT caucus whip Hsu Shao-ping (徐少萍) saying that the party would give Chang a trial period.

In response to Lin's proposal, KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) said yesterday that the party would work to remind the public of Chang's performance when he was premier six years ago, and whose decision to halt construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant marked the beginning of the economy's "decline."

Chang was first appointed premier in October 2000.

He stepped down in February 2002 after accusations that he had had an affair and over dissatisfaction with his decision to halt construction of the nuclear power plant, a decision that was later reversed.
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