Academics and lawyers yesterday blasted a KMT legislator's proposed amendments to the Organic Law of Judicial Yuan Organization (司法院組織法), which they see as a ploy to block Judicial Yuan President Weng Yueh-sheng's (翁岳生) renomination.
According to a bill proposed by Chen Chien-min last month (陳健民), eligible candidates for the Judicial Yuan presidency and vice president must be aged between 45 and 65.
However, under Chen's draft bill, Judicial Yuan Vice President Cheng Chung-mo (城仲模), who is six years younger than Weng, would become the body's sole candidate. Weng will turn 71 on July 1.
Taipei Society president Ku Chung-hwa (顧忠華) said that Chen's proposals did not follow a consensus reached at the 1999 National Judicial Reform Seminar.
"His proposal, which was endorsed by another 34 lawmakers, strikes me as a drag to the judicial reform," Ku said.
"We don't want any politics playing a part in the judicial reform, however, this proposal looks quite political," Ku said.
To make the proposal official, Chen Chien-min will need another 78 signatures.
Yesterday morning, the Judicial Reform Foundation and the Taiwan Law Society held a seminar to discuss Chen's controversial proposal.
The seminar was hosted by Hsu Tsung-li (
None of them affirmed the proposal.
Joseph Lin said that he was worried that this proposal would not help judicial reform at all.
"Honestly, I see lots of politics and personal grudges in this proposal. But the judicial system should be independent. This is a contradiction, isn't it?" he said.
In addition to the age restrictions, Chen's proposal also stated that to qualify for nomination as a grand justice, the candidate has to serve as a Supreme Court judge for at least three years.
Chen's motivation for the proposal was also questioned by fellow lawmakers.
DPP legislative whip Chen Chi-mai (
Chen Chi-mai's allegation was immediately dismissed by Chen Chien-min.
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