[Editorial] Raising the Issue of the `Parliamentary Government System` as a Political Maneuver

Right after the `Moderate Reform Forum (MRF)` the biggest group of lawmakers in the New Millennium Democratic Party (NMDP), raised the issue of constitutional revision to the parliamentary government system, the discussions on the reorganization of the political circle have followed. Thus, it seems that the NMDP goes through a planned procedure. The main point of the discussion, which is to be completed by April, is to establish the `anti-Lee Hoi-Chang Solidarity` including the NMDP, the United Liberal Democrats (ULD), and the Democratic People`s Party, and a part of the Grand National Party, for the victory in the presidential election this year.

The MRF raised the issue of constitutional revision to the parliamentary government system because it is anxious about the NMDP`s staying in power. However, if the plan is reorganization of the political circle in relation to parliamentary government system, it should be criticized by the people as a politically collusive idea only for continuously holding the power.

First of all, it is inopportune. In the NMDP, presidential hopefuls are already running for the conventional election. While the NMDP claimed to introduce the `people`s participating Electoral College system` in order to elect the party`s presidential candidate, it also raised the issues of constitutional revision to the parliamentary government system, which is inappropriate no matter when the parliamentary system will be introduced. If the NMDP wants to publicize the issue of constitutional revision to the parliamentary system, the party should ask the people`s opinion after its election of presidential candidate.

The worse part of the NMDP`s discussion of the parliamentary system is its plotting to reorganize the political circle by raising the issue of constitutional revision. It attempts to merge with the ULD with logic that the constitutional revision to the parliamentary system is the only way to embrace the ULD. This is nothing but a `booty-sharing of the power`. This government had been the `DJP joint government`. based on an agreement to revise the constitution to the parliamentary system by the end of 1999. But the agreement was not carried out, and the political coalitions and divorces between DJ and JP have continued. It has deepened political distrust and confusion of the government administration, and the whole nation and the people have been suffered from their evil effects. In this situation, the coalition of these two parties is an act of ridiculing the people. No one should approach to the issue of changing a nation`s power structure based on one`s political interests. The current discussions of constitutional revision to the parliamentary system must be stopped.