Han Kuo-yu wrong choice
In Saturday’s election, no party secured a majority in the 113-member legislature, with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) winning 51 seats, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) 52 and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) eight, making the TPP the key player in deciding whether an appointment or legislation would pass. That power is to be put to the test on Feb. 1, when the new batch of lawmakers are to be sworn in and elect a legislative speaker and deputy speaker.
Before the election, the blue camp said it would make KMT legislator-at-large in waiting Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) the new legislative speaker, and the white camp seemed to have no objection.
However, Citizen Congress Watch (公民監督國會聯盟) said that Han’s record as a legislator in the past was far from exemplary, while Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫?) of the DPP, who was re-elected on Saturday as a legislator-at-large, was highly recognized for promoting parliamentary diplomacy and reform. Citizen Congress Watch said that the candidate for the post should be someone who is proficient in deliberation procedures and has excellent performance, so that Taiwanese can rest assured.
If Han, who is controversial, confrontational and unpredictable, is appointed speaker, the Legislative Yuan might become a political battlefield or a stage for personal and political theater, which is not conducive to deliberation and negotiation, and his appointment might even make the legislature the biggest source of chaos in the country.
The TPP and its chairman, Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), should listen to the opinions of all parties, carefully and objectively evaluate the pros and cons of Han, You or other candidates, and do not make their first strategic deployment in the new session of the Legislative Yuan monkey business.
Tien Fong-wen
New Taipei City
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