The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday criticized President William Lai (賴清德) over his appointees to the Judicial Yuan, saying they were politically motivated.
Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) on Friday announced the president’s picks to lead the judicial branch and fill openings on the Constitutional Court after the president, vice president and five justices step down on Oct. 31.
National Taiwan University law professor Chang Wen-chen (張文貞) was named to lead the branch, while Yao Li-ming (姚立明), director of Lai’s presidential campaign headquarters in January’s election, was tapped for the vice presidency.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
The appointees must be confirmed by the legislature.
At a news conference yesterday, the KMT caucus said all the nominees are affiliated with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Chang last month argued to the Constitutional Court that the process by which controversial legislative reform bills were passed earlier this year contained “manifest and gross procedural flaws” and should be ruled unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, Yao’s “only achievement” was leading Lai to electoral victory in January, the KMT said.
Yao from 1996 to 1999 served as a lawmaker with the New Party, a KMT splinter party favoring closer ties with China, and was the campaign head for Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) when he ran as an independent for Taipei mayor in 2014.
Lai chose “henchmen” rather than justices who are looking to uphold the Constitution, the caucus said, adding that it cannot accept the nominations.
Taiwanese are worried about the neutrality of the judiciary, especially the Constitutional Court, KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Szu-ming (林思銘) said.
One of the nominees to the court — Academia Sinica professor Fort Liao (廖福特) — is a member of the DPP’s arbitration committee and was an expert witness against renewing CTi News’ license, Lin said.
Another justice nominee — Academia Sinica research professor Liu Ching-yi (劉靜怡) — was an expert witness on the DPP’s side in a case on the constitutionality of the Act Governing the Settlement of Ill-gotten Properties by Political Parties and Their Affiliate Organizations (政黨及其附隨組織不當取得財產處理條例), he said.
The court is set to decide a major case on the death penalty, KMT caucus deputy secretary-general Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) said.
Of the 15 current justices, nine have expressed a preference to abolish the death penalty, she said, adding that of the seven nominees, six have advocated for its abolishment.
In response, the Presidential Office yesterday said that all seven nominees have deep legal knowledge and a progressive outlook, urging the opposition to review their cases rationally.
The nominees were chosen because they are professional, progressive and have an internationalized perspective with practical experience in balancing legal theory and the practice of law, Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said.
Additional reporting by Chen Yun and CNA
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the Czech officials confirmed that Chinese agents had surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March last year. Czech Military Intelligence director Petr Bartovsky yesterday said that Chinese operatives had attempted to create the conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, going as far as to plan a collision with her car. Hsiao was vice president-elect at the time. The MAC said that it has requested an explanation and demanded a public apology from Beijing. The CCP has repeatedly ignored the desires
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s license has expired and it cannot simply be restarted, the Executive Yuan said today, ahead of national debates on the nuclear power referendum. The No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County was disconnected from the nation’s power grid and completely shut down on May 17, the day its license expired. The government would prioritize people’s safety and conduct necessary evaluations and checks if there is a need to extend the service life of the reactor, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference. Lee said that the referendum would read: “Do
The Ministry of Environment yesterday held a seminar in Taipei for experts from Taiwan and Japan to exchange their experiences on the designs and development of public toilets. Japan Toilet Association chairman Kohei Yamamoto said that he was impressed with the eco-toilet set up at Daan Forest Park, adding that Japan still faces issues regarding public restrooms despite the progress it made over the past decades. For example, an all-gender toilet was set up in Kabukicho in Tokyo’s Shinjuku District several years ago, but it caused a public backlash and was rebuilt into traditional men’s and women’s toilets, he said. Japan Toilet Association
RSS