Fight delays poll recount in Taiwan

Taiwan’s President Chen Shui-Bian asked Parliament on Tuesday to allow a recount of last week’s poll, but a row between his followers and the Opposition Nationalists delayed any decision. In his first comments on his victory and an election eve assassination bid, Chen recounted the pain of the shooting and his sense of affront at the questioning of his integrity.

He denied rigging votes and said he would accept the outcome of any recount. ‘‘This is the biggest insult to my integrity,’’ he said. ‘‘You can question the outcome, you can raise a motion to void the election and we must respect that. I know we did not rig votes, we are not afraid of re-examining the ballots.’’

Opposition candidate and Nationalist Party leader Lien Chanhas asked that the poll result be declared invalid and has demanded a recount.

The scuffles broke out at a meeting called to approve Chen’s proposal to present parliament with a revision of the election law to allow a recount if the margin of difference was one per cent or below. It would have retroactive effect. — (Reuters)