DPP officials fall in behind embattled Chen

President quietens growing calls to quit over graft scandal

Scandal-plagued Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian, mired in his biggest crisis, has won fresh vows of allegiance from top officials of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

The former lawyer succeeded in a 100-minute speech on Sunday night in convincing both his party and government that he was not corrupt, quieting growing voices in his own camp for him to resign over corruption allegations.

Analysts said the attitude of the DPP was the key to whether Mr Chen would be forced to step down over the latest in a string of corruption scandals that have embroiled him, his family and government.

Mr Chen accused prosecutors, who indicted his wife and named him as a 'joint perpetrator' in the alleged embezzlement of NT$14.8 million (HK$3.5 million) in state funds over the past four years, of being unfair and biased. He denied any wrongdoings in the corruption scandal that has rocked the island.

On Friday, prosecutors indicted Mr Chen's wife, Wu Shu-chen, 'for allegedly embezzling NT$14.8 million in state funds' between 2002 and this year.

The president's appeal convinced a number of DPP officials, including local government leaders. The so-called 'four superstars' of the DPP - Vice-President Annette Lu Hsiu-lien, Premier Su Tseng-chang, former premier Frank Hsieh Chang-ting and party chairman Yu Shyi-kun, considered the DPP's leading contenders for the 2008 presidential election - all threw their support behind Mr Chen.