1 million Taiwanese support campaign to oust president

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Tuesday August 22, 2006

Taipei- Calls for scandal-plagued Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian to resign have grown, with 1 million Taiwanese supporting an island-wide drive to oust him, a campaign leader claimed Tuesday. "Today, the number of people endorsing for the resignation of President Chen has reached 1 million," announced Shih Ming-teh, former chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who started a campaign last Monday to oust Chen.

The ex-chairman, a former comrade of the president, said Chen should heed the voices of the people and step down to ease the wrath and frustration from the public over what he saw as the president's tolerance of corruption practices within his family and government.

Shih was referring to the president's son-in-law under trial for alleged insider trading, his wife being investigated over alleged influence peddling, his former chief aide who was indicted for corruption, and the president himself under probe over alleged embezzlement of state funds.

Shih said he will begin an indefinite, round-the-clock sit-in protest in front of the Presidential Office soon and maintain it until Chen resigns.

Campaign office spokeswoman Ho Teh-feng said the protest will start as early as this Sunday, an action drawing angry curses from the ruling party and his former colleagues, who called Shih a traitor.

The opposition parties failed in their bid in June to launch a recall motion to try to remove Chen from office.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur