Former secretary-general of the Presidential Office Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟) yesterday came out in support of former senior presidential adviser Koo Kwang-ming’s (辜寬敏) bid to become Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman.
The election of the DPP’s new chairperson is not about responding to appeals from specific DPP party members, factions or the “Young Turks,” but is about the expectations and sadness of 5.44 million DPP voters over the party’s failure in the March 22 presidential election, Chen said.
“On that matter, Koo is the one and only candidate,” Chen said.
The other two candidates for the election scheduled for May 18 are former vice premier Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), 52, and DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮), 73.
Tsai is backed by the party’s younger generation, which hopes she can transform the party so that it would stand a better chance of winning back voters who have been disappointed by the party’s performance over the last eight years.
Chen said he disagreed with the argument that the party should review its traditional line and move toward the center and closer to swing voters.
“If those are the considerations in choosing a DPP chairperson, we won’t be able to revive the party. We might as well think about the possibility of abandoning the DPP,” Chen said.
Well-known Hakka fiction writer Li Chiao (李喬) also threw his support behind Koo, saying that Tsai was supported by factions of the party, which would make it difficult for her to reform the party’s “factional” politics.
Koo, 82, said he would set up a campaign office next week to demonstrate his determination to win and that Chen would be in charge of his campaign.
DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh’s (謝長廷) long-term aid Hsu Kuo-yong (徐國勇), a former DPP legislator, also backed Koo’s bid. He said he was not there on behalf of Hsieh.
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
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-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