TSU member wants national convention to discuss charter

The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) is facing yet another challenge as Taipei City Councilor Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) yesterday vowed to call a provisionary national convention to discuss the party charter, as many have expressed doubts about deviations from the party's vision.

Chen must obtain the support of a quarter of the party's 150 national representatives to make his proposal valid. He broached the subject at the party's Central Executive Committee meeting, but received a lukewarm response.

Chen Yung-hsing (陳永興), convener of the party's Arbitration Committee, said the committee exchanged opinions on the matter, but thought "there was nothing wrong" with the party platform.

"We consider it necessary, however, to clarify any misunderstanding regarding TSU Legislator Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛)," he said, adding they had suggested Lai take legal action if necessary.

Former TSU Legislator David Huang (黃適卓) had demanded that the party expel Lai and nullify her candidacy for legislator-at-large, alleging that Lai was associated with members of the "red-shirt army."

The "red-shirt army" refers to members of a campaign organized last year to depose President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) amid corruption allegations against him, his wife and his closest aides.

TSU Chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) said yesterday that the new party charter, approved by party's National Assembly on May 26, aims "to safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty" and "care for the middle class, the disadvantaged, farmers and workers."

The party's policy proposals have never deviated from the party line since, he said.

In related news, three TSU legislators yesterday asked the DPP to extend a goodwill gesture by Friday and let opinion polls decide who should represent the pan-green camp in their respective constituencies in the legislative elections in January.

The TSU plans to nominate 17 district legislative candidates to compete for the 79 slots.

Huang Kun-huei said that the party was willing to drop the nomination of Huang Chao-chan (黃昭展) in Pingtung County and Chien Lin Whei-jun (錢林慧君) in Tainan City in exchange for the DPP's goodwill.

Huang Kun-huei, however, criticized the DPP for luring TSU members to join its ranks, including TSU Legislator Ho Min-hao (何敏豪), rumored to be the latest TSU member considering joining the DPP.

Meanwhile, DPP Culture and Information Department Director Hsieh Hsin-ni (謝欣霓) said yesterday the party would not comment on the TSU's opinion poll proposal until they receive a written request.

The TSU also ran a half-page advertisement in yesterday's Chinese-language United Daily News, urging former TSU Legislator Liao Pen-yen (廖本煙) to join the DPP. The party expelled Liao and Huang Chung-yung (黃宗源) earlier this month for failing to follow the party line.

Chen Chien-ming said it was inappropriate for the TSU to place such an ad.