Sat, Apr 01, 2000 page1

• Confusion reigns in KMT over Tang Fei's position

  • By Jou Ying-Cheng / STAFF REPORTER
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  Two days after President-elect Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) nominated Minister of National Defense Tang Fei (唐飛) to be his premier, the KMT has yet to resolve the growing dilemma within the party over how it should respond.

  The KMT held three meetings on the issue yesterday, without producing a clear result. The political hot potato was then passed back to acting chairman Lien Chan (連戰) by the party's legislative caucus.

  It would appear, however, that the call for "party-to-party negotiations" on the selection of premier has grown muted.

  Tang himself, meanwhile, repeated yesterday that he would only follow his party's instructions -- a statement interpreted by some legislators as "passing the buck" over responsibility for the decision to the KMT's senior leadership.

  The KMT had intended to decide on its official stance at an extraordinary central standing committee meeting scheduled yesterday morning. The plan, however, was changed at a forum earlier yesterday morning attended by Lien, which included senior party officials and representatives of its legislative caucus.

  During the forum, caucus representatives apparently initiated a signature drive asking KMT legislators to support the "party-to-party negotiations" proposal. It had been hoped that more than half would sign, as a demonstration of solidarity. However, so such consensus was forthcoming as bitter disagreements ensued.

  Many legislators present were also opposed to the idea that the central standing committee should make the final decision. Instead, they demanded that lawmakers have the final say, and that Tang should communicate with legislators face-to-face.

  In the end, their proposal was accepted by Lien.

  In response, Tang met with some 50 legislators yesterday afternoon at KMT headquarters.

  A variety of different opinions were aired, with some upholding the "party-to-party" stance and others arguing that Tang should accept the premiership as an individual while having his party membership temporarily suspended.

  Most legislators showed strong concern over just how much real power Tang would enjoy if he became premier.

  "Has he [Chen] promised you the power to appoint your ministers and to decide policies? Would you be a mere puppet to Chen?" asked KMT lawmaker Chen Ching-pao (陳清寶).For his part, Tang said he had only told Chen he would accept the post on the condition of KMT approval. "I have not yet gotten back to him about other matters," he said.

  The incumbent defense minister stressed his devotion to the ideal of an administration which operated according to the rule of law.

  He said policy initiatives emerge from Cabinet meetings, not only from the premier, and that policies can only be carried out when the relevant laws are passed by the legislature.

  Several legislators asked Tang to make his decision on his own, and leave the party out of it. "We're prepared to be the opposition party, but now if you become premier as a KMT member, what stance should we take?" one legislator asked.

  Other lawmakers agreed, saying the KMT should focus itself on being a real opposition party after its humiliating defeat, and not to seek a power-sharing agreement. "Otherwise, people might look down on us, and we would lose again," said Chen Chieh-ju (陳傑儒).

  As many expected, however, no consensus was ultimately reached.

  "The purpose of this meeting was to open the communication lines between between Tang and our legislators. The opinions of the lawmakers will be passed to Lien to deal with," said Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權), the party whip.

  That does not, however, mean Lien will make the final decision himself, as several legislators were at pains to point out. "Lien will only `deal with it,'" one said.
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