10/11/2013
Department of International Affairs - Democratic Progressive Party
The DPP held a press conference yesterday on Double Tenth National Day with remarks made by DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang, and accompanied by Convener Ker Chian-ming, Executive Director Gao Jyh-peng and Secretary-General Wu Ping-rui from the DPP Legislative Caucus Office. Also present were Legislators Tuan Yi-kang, Yu Mei-nu and Hsu Chih-Chieh as well as Executive Director of the DPP’s Policy Research Committee Dr. Joseph Wu.
Below are Chair Su’s remarks:
“Ladies and gentlemen, in a few minutes, the National Day ceremonies are about to start. However, the host of the ceremonies, Legislative President Wang Jin-pyng, have many times been publicly deemed by President Ma Ying-jeou as ‘a speaker not appropriate for the Legislative Yuan’. Both of them were engaged in a series of legal battles and mutual discord, but now, they are being polite in public yet letting the whole world see this comedy.
“In the past month, President Ma has been engaged in lies and using illegal wiretapping information to interfere in the judicial process, resorting to his power in the party to remove the legislative speaker and encroaching on the independence of the legislature. Committing just any of these in a democracy are all reasons for the president to step down. President Ma is guilty of all three, but yet he remains unaffected.
“As for Premier Jiang Yi-huah, not only has he also engaged in lying, but he has also interfered into the judicial process. He was present during the public humiliation of the legislative speaker, and he also further made use of his role as supervisor to make irresponsible remarks against the speaker.
“This month, through the legislative hearings set out to uncover the truth, it became clearer to everyone that this was a serious and outrageous incident. Regrettably, President Ma and Premier Jiang are acting as though they did not commit any constitutional violations, and so far, they have not offered any public apologies.
“Over 70% of the public are dissatisfied with the actions of the president and the cabinet, finding them no longer suitable [to govern]. It is getting more serious the disorder in our country, the hardships in our livelihoods, the decline in our economy and the agitation in our society.
“The DPP has a political responsibility towards the growing public distrust in the government. The DPP has decided to call for the amendment of Article 3, Item 2, and Sub-Section 3 of the constitution. We solemnly represent the sentiments of the people to call for a motion of no-confidence towards the government. This is a motion also commonly known as a call to dismiss the cabinet.
“We hope to take a constitutional route to restrict the constitutional crisis created by the president and in order to resolve the current political disorder. We believe that the legislative body is the foundation of democracy that balances the power of the president.
“For this reason, as soon as the legislative session opens, the DPP will issue the motion of no-confidence and vote on it within 72 hours. I appeal to all the people in our nation to support this motion and to take action to protect our democracy and to discipline the president.
“We believe that protecting democracy and to take-on the responsibility to protect our constitution should not be based on the interests of any political party or individual. This value should be non-partisan upon seeing our constitution facing a crisis. We must not stop believing in our resolution to end corruption lurk into our constitution. We must let Taiwan’s democracy walk persistently towards the future!”
