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TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Taiwan's finance minister resigned on Thursday to take responsibility for a violent clash outside the campaign headquarters of Frank Hsieh, the ruling party's presidential hopeful.
"I tendered my resignation this morning and Premier Chang (Chun-hsiung) has approved it.... I regret that the incident caused social instability," finance minister Ho Chih-chin told reporters.
The clash, the worst in the run-up to the March 22 presidential vote, erupted when four opposition Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers, accompanied by Ho, demanded to inspect Hsieh's office on Wednesday.
The KMT lawmakers suspected that Hsieh, from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was illegally using the office building which belongs to a state bank.
Ho was asked to accompany them as the state bank is supervised by the finance ministry.
Their surprise visit enraged Hsieh's supporters and hundreds of them surrounded the lawmakers and scuffled with the police in a street brawl which left several people with minor injuries.
Hsieh on Thursday blasted the KMT lawmakers for trespassing and violating election laws.
"They have no rights to just barge into a private office space and demand an inspection without a warrant. This is an invasion of my rights," Hsieh told reporters.
KMT's presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou condemned the violence and apologised for the incident.
Ma and Hsieh are vying to succeed DPP's President Chen Shui-bian, whose second and final term ends in May. --AFP
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