The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday announced that it had accepted the Central Election Commission's (CEC) compromise system which allows voters to follow a two-step voting procedure as long as tables and ballot boxes in polling stations are placed in accordance with the one-step voting format.
"We decided to accept the CEC's decision and hopefully our compromise will ensure the continuous development of Taiwan's democracy," KMT caucus whip Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權) said at a press conference yesterday at KMT headquarters.
On Nov. 16 the CEC decided to adopt a one-step voting procedure for the Jan. 12 legislative election by which election and referendum ballots are both handed to voters at the entrance to polling stations.
But the 18 pan-blue-controlled cities and counties decided to adopt two-step voting, which would require voters to cast their election ballots before being allowed to cast referendum ballots.
In an attempt to end the wrangling, CEC Chairman Chang Cheng-hsiung (張政雄) announced on Thursday that it would allow voters to follow the two-step voting procedure as long as local commissions place tables for distributing ballots and voting boxes in line with the setup used in the one-step voting format in polling stations.
The compromise proposal, however, was initially rejected by the KMT, with Tseng saying that the proposal actually "followed the one-step framework."
On Thursday the government set about replacing local election commission heads defying the one-step voting system, with Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
The premier also appointed Hsinchu City Election Commission member Wu Chiu-ku (
The KMT's change of heart followed a meeting with pan-blue local government heads to discuss the issue yesterday. Tseng said the local government heads agreed to accept the compromise in order to end the dispute which has caused turmoil and confusion among front-line election personnel.
"If there are any disputes or confusion during the election, the Executive Yuan, DPP and the CEC should take full responsibility," Tseng said.
Tseng continued to defend the KMT's stance on the two-step voting system and said the CEC presented the compromise version because it had realized the flaws inherent in the one-step voting system.
The KMT's communication and cultural committee head Huang Yu-cheng (
Huang said the consensus was made to ensure the elections run smoothly and leave the DPP with no excuse to halt them.
Earlier yesterday, Government Spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) said the government was considering removing four more local election commission heads.
"Local election commissions will start printing election bulletins on Monday. Before then chairmen of local election commissions who still insist on using the two-step voting format will be removed," Shieh said.
Shieh confirmed yesterday that the government is dealing with a CEC request to replace the chairman of the Taichung City Election Commission, Hsiao Chia-chi (蕭家旗), who is also Taichung deputy mayor.
Despite the KMT about-face, Shieh said last night that local election commission heads still need to reassure the central government by tomorrow that they would adopt the one-step voting procedure -- otherwise the Executive Yuan would still replace them.
"It's questionable whether Tseng's remarks suggest that local election commission heads who originally insisted on using the two-step procedure will now change their stance as well," he said.
"Only when they [local election commission heads] make public statements [on their stance] can the nation's voting system beeensured and the electorate's rights be safeguarded," he said.
It would be rather "ridiculous" if local election commission heads listen to what the KMT asked them to do when they are supposed to operate independently, Shieh said.
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers