Pingtung County Commissioner Su Chia-chuan (
"Due to his extensive political experience, the premier thought Commissioner Su was the best person to fill the vacancy," Cabinet Spokesman Lin Chia-lung (
Su served as a lawmaker between 1993 and 1997, and is serving his second four-year term as Pingtung County commissioner.
Yu Cheng-hsien tendered his resignation on Sunday over the election-eve shooting of President Chen Shui-bian (
According to Lin, both the premier and the president highly appreciated Su's performance over the years and were confident that he would do a good job.
Earlier yesterday morning, Lin told a press conference that the premier would not announce the new minister by May 12, when the premier leads Cabinet officials, including the new interior minister, to resign en masse in accordance with the Constitution that the Cabinet must vacate its posts before the inauguration of the new president. Chen will be sworn in for his second four-year term on May 20.
"Respecting Minister Yu's personal wishes and acknowledging his courage to shoulder the political onus, the premier approved the minister's resignation on the evening of Sunday and is looking for his successor," Lin told the press conference held at the Cabinet yesterday morning.
Lin said that the premier hoped Yu Cheng-hsien would stand fast at his post until the new minister is found.
Yu Cheng-hsien, who was originally scheduled to hold a press conference yesterday morning to officially announce his resignation, decided to take a five-day vacation starting yesterday and ask his secretary to read an announcement.
In the statement, Yu Cheng-hsien said that he offered his resignation verbally on March 19, the day of the attempted assassination, in an effort to assume political responsibility.
He was persuaded by the premier to stay on because of the upcoming presidential election. He then tendered his resignation in writing on Sunday.
Before the dust settled, other possible leading candidates to succeed Yu Cheng-hsien included Minister without Portfolio Yeh Jiunn-rong (
When asked by reporters about his intent to take up the post yesterday, Yeh Jiunn-rong said that it was inappropriate for him to make any comment before the premier approaches him about the matter. He, however, added that he would accept the premier's personnel arrangement.
A Cabinet official who asked not to be named said that it did not sound like a bad idea to have a female interior minister since Chen has vowed on various occasions to see more high-ranking female government officials.
Meanwhile, the National Police Administration (NPA) confirmed yesterday that NPA Director-General Chang Si-liang (
As for who will succeed Chang, Lin said that the question is up to the new minister to decide.
According to the press release made available by the NPA, Chang offered his resignation verbally to his direct supervisor Yu Cheng-hsien on the day of the shooting. He agreed to stay on because of the presidential election and the subsequent mass protests. He told lawmakers and reporters on Sunday that he would submit his resignation yesterday morning to take full responsibility for the assassination attempt.
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