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Published: March 20, 2004
On March 20, Lien Chan, chairman of the Kuomintang, stated that the government had still not made a public announcement regarding the true facts behind the shooting of President Chen Shui-bian. That this incident had an influence on the presidential election is beyond question; its effects were direct and comprehensive, and numerous doubts remain. His decision regarding the result of the presidential election, which was unanimously supported by the Kuomintang-People First Party (KMT-PFP) Alliance, would be to file a lawsuit to void the election results.
The results of the March 20 presidential election as announced by the Central Election Commission were that the presidential and vice presidential ticket of Chen Shui-bian and Lu Hsiu-lien garnered 6,470,517 ballots, the ticket of Lien Chan and James Soong garnered 6,443,019 ballots, while more than 330,000 ballots were invalid. After this, around ten past eight o'clock on election night, Lien took the stage in front of the national campaign headquarters to deliver a speech to thousands of supporters who had gathered there. Those accompanying him included James Soong his running mate, Wang Jin-pyng director of national campaign headquarters, Wu Poh-hsiung vice chairman of the Kuomintang, Chang Chau-hsiung vice chairman of the People First Party, and Lin Fong-cheng secretary-general of the Kuomintang.
In his speech, Lien expressed his most heartfelt appreciation to the hundreds of thousands of compatriots, young and old, male and female, throughout Taiwan, thanking them for their hard work. He also earnestly called for his supporters to respond rationally and calmly to the election results as announced by the Central Election Commission (CEC).
Lien noted that the issue to be dealt at this moment was not who had won or lost in the election. Instead, what they should be concerned about, was how to face up to history, how not to let down our democratic governance, the 23 million people of Taiwan, and the future generations. It is everyone's responsibility to safeguard history, democracy, our systems, and our pride.
Lien Chan said that he wanted to earnestly request their supporters to remain rational and calm; not just those present outside the KMT-PFP Alliance campaign headquarters, but also the tens of thousands of followers old and young, male and female, in the north, center, and south of Taiwan. He pointed out that, according to the information known at that time, the Lien-Soong ticket had garnered so many votes that the difference in ballots gained by the two pairs of candidates votes was exceedingly small, smaller than any previous election in Taiwan and even when compared with elections in other countries. This slight gap appeared under very suspicious circumstances. Lien said that he believed people had heard numerous differing pieces of information from a variety of different channels.
Lien Chan said that one such doubt concerned the shooting incident on the day before the election, for which, at the present time, the government has still not issued a clear statement about the true circumstances. The influence of this incident on the presidential election is self-evident, its influence was both direct and comprehensive. There are other suspicious points, which have created a widespread impression of "layers upon layer of doubts." Lien Chan emphasized that, if he and his supporters were to take a silent attitude toward the election result, how could this generation justify its action to history, to democracy, to the 23 million people of Taiwan, and to the future generations.
Lien Chan pointed out that this was why he must, with great sincerity, ask everyone to pursue true dignity and development with rational and calm contemplation. He had made a decision, therefore, which was the shared and unanimous decision of the KMT-PFP Alliance, as was expressed in his declaration, "To file a lawsuit to void the results of the election."
Lien Chan said that there were too many events that made the vote unacceptable and too many points of doubt. It was not a single act but, rather, a series of them, that made everyone feel that there were layer after layer of doubts. It is with this in mind that the KMT-PFP Alliance made its second demand that "The Central Election Commission should immediately seal all ballot boxes" for inspection of the ballots in the future.
Lien also asked everyone to bear in mind that, given the more than 13,000 ballot boxes around Taiwan, the KMT-PFP alliance demanded that the CEC must immediately shoulder the responsibility of sealing all ballot boxes for future ballot inspection.
Lien Chan said that he would work towards the direction he had put forward. If Taiwan really cannot lose, now is the time that Taiwan should not lose.
After Lien's almost 20-minute speech, James Soong indicated explicitly that he represents the PFP and all the Lien-Soong followers in supporting Lien's announcement.
Soong explained that, in comparison with Taiwan's democracy, his personal loss is small. Democracy is Taiwan people's most efficient weapon in opposing China. If we destroy such a weapon ourselves, what else does Taiwan have with which to defend itself?
Soong pointed out that this unfair election had not only allowed people to see the layer upon layer of doubts, but also the manipulation of the election from beginning to end. This is something known to all. In addition to supporting Lien's decision, Soong repeated his appeal for everyone to remain calm and rational, to use a calm and rational voice to let the world know that an unfair election has taken place here in Taiwan, and that an unfair election is not an asset for bringing Taiwan future stability.
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