Ma, former Taipei mayor and Kuomintang (KMT) chairman, expressed his deep concern over the budget impasse at the expense of the people's interests when offering the token of peace, aimed at breaking the gridlock.

He suggested that both the ruling and opposition camps make mutual concessions to first approve the budget and then let lawmakers vote on the revisions to the CEC's organization.

Ma said the KMT will take the initiative to demonstrate its goodwill for the sake of the people. He expressed hope that the DPP would respond in kind.

He already discussed the initiative with KMT leaders, including Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung and Secretary General Wu Den-yih, as well as Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, who is also a KMT member.

Wang said he backed the move and planned to call another coordination meeting with legislative leaders of major political parties today.

Ma clarified that the KMT never had the intention of deliberately boycotting the budget plan, which should have been approved half a year ago.

He explained that the resolution to review the CEC rules and then the budget program was made at a legislative meeting chaired by DPP lawmaker Tsai Chi-fan.

But Ma's goodwill and "constructive compromise" were questioned even by lawmakers in his own party. Some KMT legislators said the DPP is very likely to continue boycotting the proposed CEC rules after they make an endorsement of the new budget.

The DPP has repeatedly blocked a legislative vote on the KMT-proposed rules, which would allow the appointment of CEC commissioners based on the percentage of legislative seats held by respective parties, and replace the existing system that enables the government and the ruling party to dominate the CEC.

Taking violent actions, including locking Speaker Wang inside rooms to prevent him from conducting the meetings, the DPP disrupted all attempts to hold an open vote on changing the organic regulations for the formation of the CEC.

The DPP also criticized the KMT for blocking the budget bill.

Ma said that even the KMT allows the passage of the central government budget, the DPP should not forget it will still need the KMT's support to clear the budget plans for state-owned enterprises and other special budget programs.

Showing no signs of accepting Ma's offer, lawmaker Wang Shin-nan of the DPP's legislative caucus said that Ma should first make an apology for withholding the 2007 budget for as long as six months.

Wang said the KMT should pass all the budget programs, including the fund for arms procurements and state enterprises without any preconditions.

Lawmakers from the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), a key ally of the DPP, said they plan to call on both DPP and KMT leaders to help break the prolonged budget standoff.

In their meeting with DPP leaders, the TSU representatives will also seek coordination on selecting common candidates for certain districts in the forthcoming legislative election so as to avoid infighting within the same alliance for the reduced available seats in the parliament.

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