Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (
"The CEC's decision was merely an administrative order. The 18 city and county governments governed by the pan-blue camp would not violate any laws by adopting the two-step system," Ma said yesterday during a visit in Tainan City.
The CEC on Friday said that ballots for the Jan. 12 legislative election and referendums would be handed out together at the entrance to the polling stations, ending weeks of wrangling between the pan-blue and pan-green camps over the manner in which the ballots should be handed out.
The KMT condemned the CEC decision and vowed to stick to the two-step system.
Ma said the 18 local government heads would exercise their authority and handle the elections their own way to ensure order during the vote.
"The local government heads will be well-prepared to ensure that voting on election day goes unhindered," Ma said.
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (
"The two-step system will prevent disputes over election-related issues. Besides, the arrangement of elections lies within the local government's authority," he said in Taipei yesterday.
The 18 pan-blue local governments signed a joint statement pledging to exercise their authority according to the Local Government Act (
In response, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
"They can express their dissent, but before related laws are amended, they have to obey the decision, otherwise it will lead to disorder," Chang said when asked for comment.
The CEC ruling was based on the Election and Recall Law of Civil Servants (公職人員選舉罷免法), a law approved by the legislature and promulgated by the president. It therefore has to be observed to maintain law and order, Chang said.
"Furthermore, the law stipulates that local election commissions are supervised by the CEC, even though they are set up under local governments," he said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (
"The public will be put at a disadvantage and the nation will lose out as a result of [ensuing] confrontations," he said.
Hsieh said the KMT should stop setting the public against the government on every issue as it has done since the DPP came to power in 2000.
"The KMT will be in power some day. Don't act like you will always be an opposition party," he said.
Cabinet spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey (
Shieh said the CEC had made its decision on adopting the "one step" voting format based on professional judgment and its experience in holding elections.
He said the CEC also took the principles of "simplicity and convenience" into consideration in reaching its decision, adding that the upcoming legislative election would be the first to feature the simultaneous holding of two referendums.
Commenting on the KMT's reaction to the CEC's decision, Shieh blasted the party for "lacking the spirit of democracy" and "treating Taiwanese with distrust."
Additional reporting by Mo Yan-chih and CNA
LEVERAGE: China did not ‘need to fire a shot’ to deny Taiwan airspace over Africa when it owns ‘half the continent’s debt,’ a US official said, calling it economic warfare The EU has raised concerns about overflight rights following the delay of President William Lai’s (賴清德) planned state visit to the Kingdom of Eswatini after three African nations denied overflight clearance for his charter at the last minute. Taiwanese allies Paraguay and Saint Kitts and Nevis, as well as several US lawmakers and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) condemned China for allegedly pressuring the countries. Lai was scheduled to fly directly to Taiwan’s only African ally from yesterday to Sunday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession and his 58th birthday, but Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar suddenly revoked
The number of pet cats in Taiwan surpassed that of pet dogs for the first time last year, reaching 1,742,033, a 32.8 percent increase from 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture said yesterday, citing a survey. By contrast, the number of pet dogs declined slightly by 1.2 percent over the same period to 1,462,528, the ministry said. Despite the shift, households with dogs still slightly outnumber those with cats by 1.2 percent. However, while the number of households with multiple dogs has remained relatively stable, households keeping more than two cats have increased, contributing to the overall rise in the feline population. The trend
China on Wednesday teased in a video an aircraft carrier that could be its fourth, and the first using nuclear power, while making an allusion to Taiwan and vowing to further build up its islands, as it looks to boost maritime power, secure resources and bolster territorial claims. The video, issued on the eve of the 77th founding anniversary of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy, featured fictional officers with names that are homophones of three commissioned aircraft carriers, the Liaoning (遼寧), Shandong (山東) and Fujian (福建). Titled Into the Deep, it showed a 19-year-old named “Hejian” (何劍) joining the group, sparking
ESWATINI TRIP: The ‘irresponsible actions’ of three African nations set a dangerous precedent and they should be held accountable, a US representative said The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday urged Washington not to normalize Chinese pressure, while a US lawmaker called on the US government to hold countries accountable for yielding to Beijing’s pressure to block President William Lai’s (賴清德) planned trip to Eswatini. Lai had been scheduled to visit Eswatini to attend birthday events for King Mswati III of Eswatini this week, but on Tuesday, the eve of his planned departure on Wednesday, the Presidential Office said the trip was “suspended” after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unexpectedly withdrew overflight permission. “China reportedly pressured Mauritius, Seychelles, and Madagascar to deny airspace access
RSS