The People First Party's bid to push Chen out of office required approval of two-thirds of the country's 220 legislators, or 147 votes.

But only 116 cast ballots in favor while all 85 lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party boycotted the vote.

The 12 members of DPP's ally, the Taiwan Solidarity Union, and one independent cast invalid ballots. Another independent cast a "no" vote.

TSU lawmakers shouted "Opposing second recall motion" and wrote the phrase on their ballots before voting, but legislators from Kuomintang, the main opposition party, chanted "National referendum on A-Bian's future."

The motion would have triggered a national referendum on Chen's fate in three months if it had passed.

The Presidential Office later issued a statement calling on the opposition to respect the outcome of the vote - the second in less than five months.

"We hope the opposition understand that the people expect national and social stability and stop proposing a no-confidence vote on the cabinet...or other measures that would provoke confrontation," the statement said.

Noting that the legislature has rejected recall motions against the president twice within four months, the Presidential Office expressed the hope that the opposition, which initiated the motion, will respect the decision by the legislature, where the opposition holds only a slim majority.

Desire for stability

The office said that the opposition lawmakers should have understood the public's desire for stability, urging them to refrain from initiating any more such motions, including moves to topple the Cabinet or recall DPP legislators, so as not to exacerbate the rivalry between the ruling and the opposition parties.

"The public has high expectations for the legislature and hopes lawmakers from across the party spectrum will make national development and the people's welfare their top priority," the office said in the statement.

It urged all legislators to work together on several urgent tasks, including the screening of the government's general budget for the next fiscal year, the arms procurement package, the organic statute of a monitoring committee for the labor retirement fund, national pension bill and the confirmation of Control Yuan nominees, so as to mend the rifts in society and promote national cohesion.

Despite the failure, KMT whip Tsai Chin-lung said the opposition would try again if more evidence of Chen's alleged corruption was found.

People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) vowed to push for a no-confidence vote on the Cabinet, which only requires the approval of half of all lawmakers. The party, together with allies KMT and New Party, hold a slim majority of 112 seats in parliament.

"We are really disappointed but we are not discouraged. We will propose a no-confidence vote," he said. If passed, the move would lead to the resignation of Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) while the president could dissolve the parliament if he chose to do so.

'Come to an end'

It is time for the actions to recall President Chen Shui-bian at the Legislative Yuan to come to an end, Premier Su Tseng-chang said yesterday. Su made his remark during an interpellation session at the Legislature while fielding questions about the motion and about a plan to topple the Cabinet through a no-confidence vote.

Su said that he fully respects the Legislative Yuan's operations in dealing with the Cabinet-toppling case because it is proceeding according to the Constitution.

Asked whether Chen will disband the Legislature or replace the premier to address a possible situation in which opposition lawmakers are successful in holding a no-confidence vote on the Cabinet, Su declined to comment.

It is the Legislature's right to decide whether or not to hold a no-confidence vote on the Cabinet, while the right to disband the Legislative Yuan is in the hands of the president. The two things "are not for me to decide," Su said.

"All I have to do is to fulfill my duties and try to ensure my administration meets the people's expectations, " he said.