CEC says two-step voting is invalid

Ting had questioned Minister of Health Hou Sheng-mou (侯勝茂) on the issue during a question-and-answer session in the legislature's Sanitation and Environment, as well as Social Welfare committees on Monday.

Ting said at the time that four foreign diplomats based in Taipei had voiced their concern to him that the president might stop China-based Taiwanese businesspeople from returning to Taiwan to vote, or postpone or cancel the presidential election by raising the specter of person-to-person avian flu transmission.

Ting, however, declined to reveal his sources on Monday, adding that the four diplomats did not come from "small countries," but from "economically strong" countries.

In response, DPP caucus whip Wang Tuoh (王拓) described the KMT allegations as groundless.

Wang also echoed Chang's remarks on "one county, two systems," adding the nation would be considered separated if that were to happen.

Wang said there was only the one-step voting procedure, no two-step voting, and that Teng's remarks were not worth discussing.

Meanwhile, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said yesterday that Taipei City's Election Commission would not alter its stance on adopting two-step voting.

NO PUNISHMENT

Defending the authority of the city government and its commission to handle the elections in accordance with the Election and Recall Law (選罷法) and Local Government Act (地方制度法), Hau said the city government would ensure that no frontline election personnel would be punished for defying the CEC's one-step voting format.

"We will not punish election personnel. Instead, we will give them rewards if the elections run smoothly," Hau said at Taipei City Hall.

Hau said the commission has already recruited 20,500 election personnel, including 9,900 civil servants, to handle the elections.

KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) yesterday defended local governments' authority and said the DPP was using the CEC as an election tool.

Wu said he agreed with Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng's (王金平) comment that the CEC should separate elections from referendums and hold the referendums on another day.

KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday defended Teng.

"Two-step voting is legal and the presidential election three years ago was held this way. It is the right explanation," Ma said.

Additional reporting by Ko Shu-ling