Wed, Jun 21, 2006 page3

• Majority do not support recall bid: poll

  • By Jewel Huang / STAFF REPORTER
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  The results of a poll released by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday suggested that about 71 percent of the public believed a recall of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was only warranted if there were substantive criminal evidence against him.

  In response to People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) proposal to topple the Cabinet should the recall motion fail, about 71 percent of those polled said they did not support this.

  A total of 1,028 valid questionnaires were collected in the June 18 poll, which has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.

  The poll showed that 64 percent of respondents thought that the opposition should submit substantive evidence before initiating a recall motion, while 23 percent said they agreed with the opposition parties.

  Judging from the latest poll, DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday he was confident that the opposition-initiated motion to recall the president and oust the premier would not succeed.

  Yu said Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) had not made any mistakes since taking up the post four months ago and it would be illegitimate to oust Su at this point.

  "The opening of the Hsuehshan Tunnel proves that Chen's government has achieved something. It would be wrong to topple Su's Cabinet," Yu said.

  "I believe that people would not agree with the pan-blue camp's actions," he added.

  Yu said there was disagreement within the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) on whether a no-confidence vote should be held to oust the premier.

  For example, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and KMT Legislator Hsu Shou-po (許舒博) do not not agree that the premier should step down.

  "Therefore, the two political motions will not succeed," Yu said.

  DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said yesterday that the move to oust Su was just a political wrangle between Soong and KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) over the 2008 presidential election.

  "If the pan-blue camp goes ahead with its plan to oust the premier, the DPP will suggest that the president dismiss the legislature and legislative elections will need to be held again," Ker said.

  Yu said the DPP was well prepared for this situation and would not give in to the pan-blue camp's political tricks.

  "For the sake of national stability, we once again urge Ma to rein in his party from the edge of the precipice and not make the people suffer," Yu said.

  He added that the DPP's poll also discovered that Ma's approval rating had dropped by 13 percentage points since the KMT chairman joined in the calls to recall the president.

  Meanwhile, DPP spokesman Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) yesterday said that the party had obtained information suggesting than an unidentified organization would start a riot aimed at paralyzing the government on June 27, as soon as the recall motion fails.

  Tsai said the pan-blue camp's supporters will assemble near the legislature to voice their support for the recall motion, and that some people from an unidentified organization will take batons and petrol bombs and sneak into the crowd and mount an uprising with the aim of throwing society into chaos.

  "We urge the Taipei City Government's police department to make preparations for dealing with any possible disturbances. If a riot occurs, we that believe Ma should take full responsibility," Tsai said.

  Tsai added that Ma should make the flood control bill the priority in the special legislative session if he really cares about people's livelihoods, as he has claimed.

  "Ma should put a halt to the recall bid and the toppling of the Cabinet since these two schemes will not succeed," Tsai said.

  Additional reporting by CNA

  Ten reasons cited by the opposition-initiated motion to recall Chen Shui-bian:

  1) Deceit and guile in elections, a lack of know-how in governing, economic recession, soaring unemployment and a disregard for the people's livelihoods. In the past five years, the number of suicides has reached 18,000. “With Chen Shui-bian as president, Taiwan has become one of the worst countries to live in.”

  2) “[The Chen administration] has pilfered the nation's coffers, selling off the nation's assets at deflated prices.” Fiscal policies have created a huge and increasing deficit. National debt has reached NT$4.85 trillion [US$148.79 billion] — “a debt that our grandchildren will likely inherit.”

  3) “With political scandals ceaselessly emerging, the credibility of the nation's leaders is in doubt.” Shady alliances between government and big business have proliferated.

  4) The integrity of the electoral process has been compromised, slamming a wedge between ethnic groups and creating a major social split. “Chen lacks the basic character and competence to lead the nation.”

  5) The Chen administration's style of governance lends itself to shortsightedness and the wielding of authority for immoral ends. Promoting division, conflict and bribery are at the heart of the administration's rule.

  6) Organized crime has pervaded politics, covering up scandals and interfering with the judicial system. Numerous scandals remain remain deeply buried. Our judicial system is no longer qualified to serve as the last line of defense against social injustices.

  7) Freedom of speech has been severely restricted and the media suppressed. The government has abused its authority in revoking licenses, capitalizing on advertising and product-placement-like pitches to push its messages. “[The Chen administration] constantly uses incentives and threats to get the media to do its bidding, and abuses its power to manipulate the media.”

  8) The Chen administration exaggerates the unification versus independence issue, constantly playing the independence card for political purposes, often at the peril of vital reciprocal trade relations with China. Under the banner of politics and ideology, the administration distorts the principles of a market economy, peddling its policies and exacerbating Taiwan's international marginalization.

  9) The Chen administration has thrown out the principles of responsible government. It looks down on lower ranking civil servants, who are promoted or demoted based on how well they accord with the culture of sycophancy that has thrived and that undermines the system of government.

  10) “[The Chen administration] has destroyed the Constitution, throwing politics into complete disarray through its authoritarian methods.” Chen's one-man rule has compromised authority at the highest levels and the rule of law.

  Source: The office of KMT Legislator Ting Shou-chung
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