Taiwan parliament vote on poll to oust Chen fails

TAIPEI, Oct 13 (Reuters) Opposition Taiwan legislators failed to get enough support today to pass a bill that would have offered voters a chance to oust President Chen Shui-bian, who is accused by critics of corruption.

The motion drew 116 votes in favour, 31 short of the two-thirds majority required, after three days of debate culminating in passionate speeches and shouting matches between lawmakers for and against the president's removal.

''The people of Taiwan have the wisdom and ability,'' opposition lawmaker Jhao Liang-yen said during today morning's debate. ''Let them decide. Give the power to them.'' The bill was never expected to pass.

Chen's office issued a statement expressing ''respect'' for the vote. The statement urged legislators to avoid a no-confidence vote in the cabinet and work on legislation related to the budget, the military and a free-trade port.

The bill, introduced by People First Party member Lu Hsue-chang on September 26, said Chen lacked the ability to govern, accused him of corruption and called his staff incompetent.

Its passage would have prompted an island-wide referendum on whether to make Chen step down before his second four-year term ends in 2008.

Although today was the second time such a bill had failed -- the first was in June -- its supporters say they might introduce a third. Alternatively, they might sue the president or push for a vote of no-confidence in his cabinet.

Chen is being investigated for his use of 1.12 million dollars from the 2005 confidential state affairs budget, while his son in-law is in court on insider trading charges and a former deputy chief of staff faces corruption charges.

The president says he has done nothing wrong and that the public should trust the legal system to root out any corruption.

Lawmakers from Chen's ruling Democratic Progressive Party boycotted the vote, which went ahead as 700 police officers cordoned off parliament to avoid any disruption by demonstrators.

''We had decided early on not to attend, because we don't support the motion,'' said party spokesman Tsai Huang-lang. ''The result is what we expected.'' The motion came after hundreds of thousands of people led by former ruling party chairman Shih Ming-teh launched street protests against the president last month.

REUTERS SP HT1520