Whether current board members of the state-run Central Broadcasting System (CBS, 中央廣播電台) will stay or go is expected to be resolved when members of the incoming and outgoing Cabinets meet today, the current director of Government Information Office (GIO) said yesterday.
"I am still waiting for the final decision on the part of Vice Premier-designate Yu Shyi-kun. The final decision should be made [today]," said Chao Yi (
Although the dispute began last week, Chao was waiting for legislators to express their views on the issue yesterday. But, a scheduled meeting of the legislature's Education and Culture Committee never began when a quorum could not be reached.
After the aborted meeting, Chao phoned Yu to seek opinions from new government members over the personnel arrangement at CBS and the two agreed to meet today to discuss the matter, Chao said.
Letters of appointment for CBS board members were ready last Thursday, but the information office did not act on the letters when DPP legislators and designated Cabinet members expressed their strong opposition to the appointments only days before the new government steps into office.
"The term for existing CBS board members ends on June 6. So what's all the rush for the GIO to renew their contracts at this point right before the power transfer at the administrative branch?" asked DPP legislator Tsao Chi-hung (
"Isn't the [KMT-dominated] old government jumping the gun a bit by making these personnel arrangements at the CBS?" Chen said, adding that the incumbent GIO officials should leave the business to the new government.
"We urged GIO head Chao Yi to suspend issuing letters of appointment to proposed CBS board members. And the decision should be left to the new GIO head Chung Chin (
Chao however refuted criticism by DPP legislators, adding that all the measures taken by the information office so far were in accordance with existing rules.
"Some said the old government is jumping the gun by confirming these personnel arrangements. But all these slanders are unacceptable to me," Chao said.
According to regulations, the GIO is entitled to consider whether to continue contracts with existing CBS board members three months before their terms are up.
With the board members' tenure ending on June 6, the GIO began considering the matter on March 3.
The move was also suspended due to allegations against current CBS chairwoman Chu Wan-ching (
The information office is expected to release an investigative report in May that denies allegations against Chu, Chao said.
Legislators have also voiced criticism against Chu, accusing her of using CBS funds to support the KMT presidential campaign for Lien Chan (
"It's ridiculous for her [Chu] to utilize public resources to garner personal gains in this manner," said Chen.
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