DPP lawmakers prod PFP on allegiance issue

LOYALTY： The DPP's `anti-betrayal alliance' got PFP members to sign a declaration pledging their allegiance, but not before the PFP slipped through a pledge of its own

By Stephanie Low  /  STAFF REPORTER

Sat, Mar 30, 2002 - Page 3

Suspecting that China played a role in the recent disclosure of secret National Security Bureau (NSB) funds, a group of DPP lawmakers yesterday challenged their colleagues to pledge allegiance to the Taiwanese people and "reject China's plan to buy Taiwan."

Peter Lin (林進興), one of the initiators of the "anti-betrayal alliance," said the information disclosed by a certain "pro-unification party" -- an obvious reference to the PFP -- and coverage by local media indicated that a series of well-planned acts are underway to uncover Taiwan's intelligence network.

In response, PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-ping (謝公秉) said that his party is tired of these kinds of "unfounded allegations," which he likened to "random bites made by mad dogs."

Lin alleged that pro-unification forces in Taiwan have allied with -- and been absorbed by -- China after losing their battle following the peaceful transition of power in the 2000 presidential race.

The trend is shown in the fact that many of the nation's secret agents have been bought off by China and that many retired government officials have crossed the Strait to develop their careers, Lin said.

In an effort to raise lawmakers' awareness of the crisis, Lin and Charles Chiang (江昭儀), another alliance member, visited the offices of the PFP, KMT and TSU legislative caucuses to ask their leaders to sign a declaration pledging their allegiance.

Lin and Chiang wanted the PFP, in particular, to clarify whether its chairman, James Soong (宋楚瑜), made a trip to Cambodia before the Lunar New Year and to state the purpose of any such trip.

The two DPP lawmakers say they have information indicating that Soong met with some "important figures" in Cambodia, including a retired intelligence official in close contact with fugitive Liu Kuan-chun (劉冠軍).

The alliance members succeeded in gaining the PFP's support for the declaration, but only after agreeing to reciprocate by signing another declaration drafted by the PFP.

Under the declaration presented by PFP lawmaker Lin Te-fu (林德福), who received the alliance members, the DPP members would pledge to get to the bottom of any unlawful government practices -- such as those involving the secret NSB accounts -- in order to "uphold justice for the people."

Lawmaker Cheng Feng-shih (鄭逢時), who signed the DPP's declaration on behalf of the KMT caucus, in turn suggested that the DPP lawmakers go one step further and scrutinize the allegiance of officials in the DPP government.

According to Cheng, some "political speculators" with two pass-ports have fled overseas after making a mess of Taiwan's political scene.

Also yesterday, another group of DPP and TSU lawmakers led by Tsai Chi-fang (蔡啟芳) formed a "traitor removal squad" to investigate "improper conduct" on the part of the pan-blue camp -- notably its alleged leak of state secrets under the pretense of investigating irregularities involving the secret NSB accounts.