Miaoli County Commissioner Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻) was on Wednesday night nominated as a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) Central Committee, despite the recent public outcry over the forced demolition of four houses in Miaoli County’s Dapu Borough (大埔).
On President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) nomination list, Liu was ranked 32th out of 210 nominees.
Keelung Mayor Chang Tung-rong (張通榮), who has low approval ratings, ranked 34th.
Photo: CNA
Liu ranked 77th in the previous nomination list presented by former KMT chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄).
The top five nominees included KMT legislators Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順) and Yuang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔), and KMT Central Standing Committee members Lee Chuan-chiao (李全教), Hung Yu-chin (洪玉欽) and Hsu Hsian-rong (許顯榮).
The nomination list sparked criticism from the opposition camp, with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) saying that Ma’s list will generate public dissent against the KMT, and his nomination of Liu as a Central Committee member reflected his ignorance of public opinion.
The KMT yesterday declined to comment on Ma’s nomination of Liu as a Central Committee member amid continuous protests against Liu and the county government.
A KMT official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, rebutted Ker’s criticism by insisting that the party’s nomination list did not guarantee that all nominees will be elected, as party delegates also have the right to nominate Central Committee members via petitions.
The official acknowledged that Ma’s nomination should guarantee election, but added that party members aiming for the Central Committee can still qualify to enter the race by obtaining signatures from at least six party delegates.
Former Taipei EasyCard Corp chairman Sean Lien (連勝文), son of former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰), and KMT Central Standing Committee member Hsieh Kung-hung (謝坤宏), who failed in his attempt to compete with Ma in the KMT chairmanship election earlier this month, are also on the nomination list.
The KMT will elect 210 Central Committee members on Aug. 17, while party delegates will elect 32 Central Standing Committee members from those Central Committee members on Sept. 7.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old