The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday withdrew its support for the pan-blue camp's plan to propose a third recall motion against President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
TSU caucus whip Liao Pen-yen (廖本煙) told a press conference that the caucus would respect the president's promise that he would step down if first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) were found guilty.
Liao said the TSU would only support the new recall motion on the condition that "concrete evidence concerning corruption is presented," but he did not say if Taipei District Prosecutor Eric Chen's (陳瑞仁) indictment would be considered "concrete evidence."
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES
He said the caucus would suggest that TSU headquarters "wait, listen and see" what the public response was before deciding the caucus' stance on the recall motion.
The decision was agreed upon unanimously after yesterday morning's caucus meeting, Liao said, but TSU Legislator Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) left the meeting before it ended.
She did not talk to reporters after leaving the meeting.
TSU Chairman Shu Chin-chiang (
However, yesterday afternoon TSU Taipei mayoral candidate Clara Chou (周玉蔻) held a joint press conference with Lai and voiced support for the recall motion.
Chou said that judging from Lee's recent remarks that "justice, morality, conscience and the concept of right or wrong were the best remedies for the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] and were the hope for Taiwan's society," the former president is actually in favor of the recall motion.
Chou urged DPP legislators to vote for the recall motion in the legislature and let the people decide whether Chen should resign. She announced that one of her campaign themes would be that she is "pro-recall motion."
Chou said TSU legislators Huang Chung-yung (黃宗源), David Huang (黃適卓) and Liao were the only three TSU caucus members who were "pro-Chen" instead of being "pro-Lee."
In response to Chou's comments, Shu said: "She is not a legislator or a member of the TSU's Central Executive Committee. Although she has her own campaign strategy, she cannot stand for the TSU's headquarters or Lee."
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old