After three rounds of voting at the presidium of the National Assembly, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) representative Yeh Chun-jung (
Given that both the DPP and the KMT recommended their own candidates for the position of secretary-general of the National Assembly and controlled a nearly equal number of votes in the presidium, filling the post of secretary-general required three rounds of voting.
VOTING
The 11-member presidium has five representatives from the DPP, four from the KMT, one from the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) and one from the People First Party (PFP), in accordance to the percentage of seats that each party obtained in the National Assembly.
The pan-green camp could have secured the post of secretary-general with one round of voting because of its majority of six delegates in the presidium, but TSU presidium member Annie Lee (
The PFP also wanted to have a forum on constitutional issues to voice their stance during the National Assembly meeting, and asked the KMT to vote for PFP candidate Edward Chen (
DELAYS
Because of the TSU and PFP's insistence, the first two rounds of voting did not produce a winner, because none of the candidates obtained more than six ballots.
Lee casted an invalid ballot during the first and second voting rounds, but then changed her attitude and voted for Yeh during the third round of voting, after discussions with DPP delegates.
Yeh took the post of secretary-general, defeating the KMT candidate, Chen Wu-hsiung (陳武雄), 6 to 5.
The presidium will hold a meeting to discuss the schedule and the agenda of the assembly this afternoon at 2pm.
The DPP hopes the agenda can be shortened to one week and convene the first session before Friday.
The KMT prefers a plan put forward by the Legislative Yuan, and wants the assembly to open on June 7 and close on June 10.
NO DELAYS
As for the TSU and PFP's demand of setting up a forum on constitutional issues, the president of the presidium, DPP delegate Yeh Chu-lan (
The TSU and the PFP requested more than the constitutional forum. The two small parties argued that the low turnout for the National Assembly elections held on May 14 was too low to represent public opinion.
TSU caucus whip Lo Chih-ming (
The TSU and the PFP also oppose the DPP and the KMT's motion that a second vote is needed if an amendment is not passed during the first round of voting, saying the motion is unconstitutional and that they will definitely boycott it.
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
RSS