President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday pledged that he would not declare martial law during his term, urging all election officials to follow the Central Election Commission's (CEC) decision to distribute election and referendum ballots simultaneously during January's legislative elections.
"This year marks the 20th anniversary of the lifting of martial law. Many people paid a high price during it, including losing their freedom and even their lives," Chen said while receiving guests at the Presidential Office yesterday morning. "There is no way we are going to turn back from the road to democracy."
Chen said he had presidential authority to impose martial law and some have suggested he do so to settle the controversy over the voting system for the legislative elections and the two referendums.
However, he said he would never declare martial law during his presidency.
"The public can rest assured on that," he said. "I am calling on my opponents to stop diverting attention, sullying the image of the administration and confusing the public."
The CEC has adopted a one-step voting procedure in which voters will receive two ballots for the legislative elections and two referendum ballots together and cast them into four different boxes.
Eighteen pan-blue local government chiefs, however, have insisted on following a two-step voting process, whereby voters first cast their legislative election ballots before receiving their referendum ballots.
Chen raised eyebrows on Sunday night when he said he was seriously considering four options -- implementing martial law, invalidating the election results in pan-blue controlled authorities, replacing local election commission heads, or getting the CEC to delay the elections -- during a campaign rally in Shulin (
Chen yesterday said he would leave it to the CEC and the other agencies concerned to decide how to deal with the controversy and that he did not have any particular preference.
As to whether a one-step or two-step voting system should be applied, Chen urged the public to accept the CEC's decision.
A two-step voting system was adopted in the 2000 presidential election because it had been the CEC's decision to do so, he said, and the CEC had decided to switch to a one-step voting system next year because it wanted to avoid the drawbacks that were experienced when the two-step practice was used.
Separately in Taipei yesterday, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said it was unacceptable for local governments to constantly challenge the central government. Lu urged both sides to calm down and hammer out a plan to settle the matter.
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
He urged the 18 local governments to cooperate with the CEC, saying that election personnel should be aware of the consequences of breaking the law.
The Cabinet has warned local governments that defying the CEC's one-step voting format is a criminal violation subject to prosecution. Heads of local governments and front-line election personnel would be subject to punishment as laid out in the Civil Servants Work Act (公務人員服務法), the Civil Servants' Evaluation Act (公務人員考績法) and the Law on the Discipline of Civil Servants (公務人員懲戒法).
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (
Hsieh's running mate, Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), said the opposition's boycott results from the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) fear that the DPP's referendum proposal seeking to reclaim its stolen assets would succeed.
Upset by Chen's remark about martial law, the KMT caucus lambasted the president yesterday, calling him a "mad man."
"If Chen is not crazy, why does he keep making crazy comments?" KMT caucus whip Kuo Su-chun (
Justin Chou (
Chou said the president's remark showed that he was practicing "authoritarianism" rather than democracy.
"He was trying to [help the DPP] win the elections by frightening swing voters and local government officials away from casting their ballots and by forcing deep-green `fundamentalists' to vote against their will. What kind of democracy is that?" Chou said.
When asked if the caucus would seek a constitutional interpretation on the voting procedure controversy, Kuo said the caucus had not considered this because "80 percent of the Grand Justices are close to the president."
"The 18 pan-blue governed cities and counties will still stick to their decision to adopt a two-step voting procedure," Kuo said. "After all, we can only guarantee a smooth election by adopting this system."
When approached for comment in Yunlin, KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said none of the four options the president was considering were feasible.
He urged everyone not to dance to the president's tune as this could arouse divisions in the nation.
Meanwhile, KMT Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), was unwilling to talk about the issue.
Nevertheless, he said martial law could not be imposed by the president unless it was confirmed by the legislature.
He was referring to Article 39 of the Constitution, which stipulates that the president has the authority to impose martial law, but this cannot take effect unless it is confirmed or approved by the legislature.
The article also gives the legislature authority to reach a resolution to request that the president lift martial law.
Meanwhile, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) told a press conference that the Taipei City Government was not intending to break the law. Hau said the city government was following the law as local governments had the authority to handle electoral affairs.
In response, Chang called on Hau to refrain from distorting the legal system.
"No matter how local governments conduct their electoral affairs, they can't go against the directive of the Central Election Commission," Chang said.
Additional reporting by Shih Hsiu-chuan
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS