Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
Speaking in response to rumors in the media that there are people within the KMT acting to make such a proposal in the near future, Ma said that he plans to make the proposal in August at the KMT's National Congress meeting.
"I originally made the suggestion in April. It is likely I will propose it again at the meeting," Ma said yesterday in response to media rumors while campaigning for the party chairmanship.
Yesterday, a Chinese-language newspaper said there was movement within the KMT to propose the creation of an honorary chairmanship position, to pander to those hoping for Lien's re-election as party chairman.
While Lien has said on a number of occasions that he is not considering running in the July 16 chairmanship election, a growing number of KMT supporters have called on him to stay on.
Lien, the movement's supporters claim, is the only person who can keep the pan-blue camp united during the competition between chairmanship candidates Ma and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
The newspapers yesterday reported that Ma might be planning to make the proposal in the KMT's weekly Central Standing Committee meeting this Wednesday.
Ma originally made the proposal that an honorary chairmanship position be created and then given to Lien in April, when he formally announced his candidacy.
Given Lien's contributions to the party during his time in office, Ma said in April, he would suggest that the KMT's party bylaws be amended to allow the creation of a honorary chairman position, which would be presented to Lien. At the time, the suggestion was seen as a move by Ma to pacify the fledgling movement rooting for Lien's continuation as chairman.
Speaking in response to these rumors, Wang said yesterday that he too considers an honorary chairmanship for Lien a good idea.
"There is that need," Wang told reporters yesterday.
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday appealed to the authorities to release former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) from pretrial detention amid conflicting reports about his health. The TPP at a news conference on Thursday said that Ko should be released to a hospital for treatment, adding that he has blood in his urine and had spells of pain and nausea followed by vomiting over the past three months. Hsieh Yen-yau (謝炎堯), a retired professor of internal medicine and Ko’s former teacher, said that Ko’s symptoms aligned with gallstones, kidney inflammation and potentially dangerous heart conditions. Ko, charged with
Taiwan-based publisher Li Yanhe (李延賀) has been sentenced to three years in prison, fined 50,000 yuan (US$6,890) in personal assets and deprived political rights for one year for “inciting secession” in China, China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said today. The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court announced the verdict on Feb. 17, Chen said. The trial was conducted lawfully, and in an open and fair manner, he said, adding that the verdict has since come into legal effect. The defendant reportedly admitted guilt and would appeal within the statutory appeal period, he said, adding that the defendant and his family have
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