Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Lin Hung-chih (林鴻池) tendered his resignation yesterday after 11 of the 29 Control Yuan nominees recommended by the Presidential Office were rejected by the legislature, where the KMT holds a majority.
At press time last night, it had not been confirmed whether President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) accepted Lin’s resignation. Ma, who is also the KMT chairman, is widely expected to ask Lin to stay in his post for the next round of nominations to fill the 11 slots.
Lin yesterday said that as the “frontline commander,” he was taking responsibility for the unexpected outcome of the vote.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times
Lin and the KMT caucus blamed outgoing Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien (王建煊) for the “surprising outcome” on Tuesday night, after it became clear that KMT lawmakers had failed to vote in line with the party’s wishes.
Not only was incoming Control Yuan president Chang Po-ya’s (張博雅) nomination confirmed by only a hair’s breadth, 11 of the 27 candidates for Control Yuan members were voted down by the legislature, despite Ma’s insistence on a “complete passage that leaves no one behind.”
At a press conference held immediately after the votes had been tallied, Lin said that Wang’s accusations of wrongdoing — including accepting gifts — by incumbent members affected the vote for those seeking a second term.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times
Lin said he respected the outcome of the vote, but regretted that “some of nominees did not have enough time to clear the doubts against them.”
Meanwhile, KMT headquarters laid the blame on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), with KMT Culture and Communications Committee Director Fan Chiang Chi-tai (范姜基泰), saying late on Tuesday that the disappointing outcome was a result of the DPP’s “deliberate fabrication of false information about some nominees.”
Chang, the new helmswoman of the Control Yuan, visited Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and the two party caucuses yesterday.
Asked about the low support she garnered, she said it was “the product of political wrestling.”
Chang also expressed her concern about the operation of the institution when DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯健銘) called on Ma not to submit a new list of nominees to fill the 11 positions.
She said it would be harder to impeach officials given the current number of members.
Ker said it was a problem that could be easily fixed.
“What matters now is to rebuild the institution’s image. Ma’s next round of nominees would not be the best choice and they would be nominated just for the sake of being nominated,” Ker said.
Presidential Office spokesperson Ma Wei-kuo (馬瑋國) said Ma would have a new list of nominees before the next legislative session starts.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College