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Ma would create taskforce to look at Constitution

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday vowed he would establish a taskforce to review the merits and flaws of the Constitution two years after assuming office if elected next year.

"We [Ma and running mate Vincent Siew (蕭萬長)] do not support [the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP)] attempt to exploit elections or its quest to alter the nation's title through amendments to the Constitution or by writing a new one," Ma said.

He was addressing a seminar organized by the New Taiwanese Cultural Foundation to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the implementation of the Constitution.

CONCERNS

Ma said that in light of the public's concerns about the reform of the central government structure, they would set up such a taskforce to discuss constitutional matters.

"If a consensus concerning the Constitution is reached across party lines, we will be willing to push for reform to live up to public expectations of a reasonable constitutional order," he said.

Ma said Taiwanese are overall disillusioned with domestic politics because the government not only has failed to safeguard human rights but has also violated the Constitution.

DEMOCRACY

"Democracy does not only mean that people enjoy the right to vote. Democracy first came into existence because people wanted to prevent governments from abusing their authority and to protect their basic human rights," he said.

If a government does not abide by "constitutional democracy," the nation could become a "horrible democracy that upholds populism," he said, adding that this was the case with the DPP government.

ACCUSATIONS

Ma accused the DPP of having damaged social harmony by repetitiously exploiting ethnic issues since it came to power in 2000.

This has helped Taiwanese understand how horrible a democracy is without constitutional order, he said.

"We must understand that the Constitution, although imperfect, is generally a reasonable Constitution and we must cherish it," he said.

"Regardless of whether the nation should adopt a presidential or a parliamentary system of government, the point is politicians should abide by the Constitution," he said.
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