DPP gives Lee Ying-yuan a job

Former Cabinet secretary-general Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) will take over as DPP deputy secretary general as part of preparations for the 2004 presidential election, senior DPP officials said yesterday.

The party is expected to make the announcement before the Lunar New Year next week.

The reshuffle comes days after President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) announced a small-scale restructuring of senior officials -- a move believed to have been made in preparation for the election next year.

Lee has been resting since he lost in the mayoral election last year. A former legislator, Lee is known to be good at coordination and campaigns. As deputy secretary general he would be able to revitalize the party's standing and beef up presidential campaign activities.

The party has not yet decided what to do with the man Lee is replacing, Michael You (游盈隆). Insiders at the DPP said that You will probably begin preparations for the presidential campaign, given his strength in polls and campaign strategies.

Also in the DPP reshuffle, culture and information department head Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) will move to the youth development department. He will take over from Chen Chong-yi (陳宗義).

In resigning his position, Chen said that, at 44, he was too old to be responsible for the party's youth development department.

Since 1991, Luo has been a creative force behind Chen's campaigns, a brainstormer who pitches wild ideas that nonetheless have broad appeal.

Luo played a vital role in the 2000 presidential campaign, and his new position in the party is believed to be aimed at attracting young voters.

After Tuesday's reshuffle, further personnel changes to the Cabinet, the DPP or the presidential office have been expected.

To end the speculation, President Chen yesterday that said that this wave of personnel adjustments was over, calling reports of more personnel changes "groundless."

The president urged the media to end the speculation because, he said, the guessing game would do no good to the nation's stability and the people's welfare.

In a bid to boost the Cabinet's declining morale, the president said that he had faith in the premier's leadership and believed that the people will have better lives this year.

"Stability in personnel is the key," he said.

Chen also said he was pleased with the establishment of Ketagalan Academy (凱達格蘭學院), because the competition for talent was more important than partisan competition or competition among nations.

The institute is the brainchild of President Chen and is expected to nurture politically adept officials for roles in the DPP administration. It is scheduled to start operation after the Lunar New Year.

On Tuesday, the presidential office announced that Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟), Presidential Office secretary-general, would become superintendent of the academy.