When KMT Legislator Lee Chia-chin (
Lee is slated to become the party's legislative caucus leader in the next session, which starts on Sept. 5.
Lee tried to prevent Wang from closing the special session before it had a chance to consider DPP Legislator Trong Chai's (
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
The episode demonstrated what some see as Lee's impetuosity.
Expressing dissatisfaction over Lee's misconduct, KMT Legislator Chen Hung-chang (
"How could the party headquarters allow itself to sit idle while Lee is being so rude and disrespectful to Wang, who is not only the legislative speaker but also the party's vice chairman," said Chen, a member of the party's E-Generation Alliance, a pro-localization faction that supports former president Lee Teng-hui (
Chen expressed concern about Lee Chia-chin's suitability as a party whip, who has to convey decisions and announcements made by the party's legislative caucus to the media and the public.
"If Lee continues to have such an impetuous manner, how could he perform well as a party whip in negotiating with other parties?" Chen said.
Sharing Chen's concerns, KMT Legislator Hsu Shu-po (
"I don't doubt his competence to do the job," Hsu said. "But Lee's impulsiveness is something he needs to look out for."
"As a party whip, his conduct and rhetoric will represent the party as a whole in the eyes of the public. Therefore Lee will have to be very cautious about what he does and says," Hsu said, adding that this was the advice Wang offered Lee when he apologized to the speaker for his conduct.
If Lee fails to change his ways as party whip, Hsu said, it would not only damage the public image of the KMT legislative caucus but would also affect KMT cooperation with the PFP for the presidential election next March.
The KMT and PFP decided in April to run a joint ticket with KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
"While some see the position of a party whip as the most powerful [in the caucus], the person in that position is actually the most vulnerable because he needs to be able to convey the decisions of the party legislative caucus to the public without expressing his own views," Hsu said.
In view of the important legislation, such as the referendum law, that will be discussed in the upcoming legislative session, Hsu advised Lee that he "needs to be respectful, modest and patient as he shoulders the responsibility of negotiating with other parties."
"Lee can't act too impulsively or focus on having the spotlight on himself as such acts will end up hurting the KMT caucus as a whole," Hsu said.
Lee, a second-term legislator, graduated with a degree in finance and taxation from National Chungshing University and later earned an MA in economics from the University of Tsukuba in Japan.
The 46-year-old Lee's expertise in finance and economic issues helped him become a consultative committee member of the Economic Development Advisory Conference in 2001.
In response to the concerns expressed by his colleagues over his ability to lead the caucus, Lee said he intended to do a good job.
"I've already apologized to Wang three times for my misconduct," Lee said. "And I willingly accept advice or criticism from colleagues with a modest and open mind."
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