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Chen backs new reform

Responding to rumors of vote-buying in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative primary, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday demanded the party continue reforming its existing primary system, which will be discussed in the party congress on July 18.

As the rumors concerned supposed vote-buying in Sunday's primary for legislators-at-large, members of the Central Standing Committee yesterday unanimously agreed to continue reforming the existing primary election system on legislators-at-large, which was already subjected to major changes in the April 10 interim party congress.

Chen, who also serves as DPP chairman, yesterday said "the party will strictly punish vote-buying practices and will cancel the qualifications of the candidates should any evidence be found. The nomination system for legislators-at-large still needs a complete overhaul, and we expect to change it on July 18 so as not to disappoint the public."

DPP Secretary General Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) yesterday proposed a "scheme for sustainable party development" to study reform measures that would cancel the legislators-at-large primary and allow the party to choose the nominees.

The legislators-at-large nominations are allocated according to the number of regional seats the party wins in the elections. However, the list of the legislator-at-large candidates will also affect the party's performance in the elections.

The primary vote-buying rumors concerned Sunny Bank chairwoman Hsueh Ling (薛凌) and Legislator Chiu Yeong-jen (邱永仁), who were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 respectively on the legislators-at-large list.

The previous round of reforms on the legislators-at-large primary divided legislators-at-large into politicians and experts, with the latter to be nominated by party chairman.

The politicians group, which is where all the current disputes stem from, will have to pass a vote by all party members and a public opinion poll, with each carrying a 50-percent weighting.

The DPP's Information and Culture Department director, Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), yesterday said the primary result was not yet final in awarding candidacy.

The poll, which will be conducted from May 31 to June 3, will affect the overall results. Candidates with a bad social reputation will be weeded out this way, he said.

DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) yesterday proposed a three-phase measure to fight corruption, saying the party should first investigate vote-buying activities in the current primary.

Later, Gao said, the party should cancel the membership fee, to eliminate the opportunity for candidates to pay membership fees as a bribe for party members.

In the longer term, he said, the party should promote legislation to allow the government to hold a public primary for all political parties, thus further reducing chances for election bribery.

Meanwhile, the president yesterday was inaugurated as the 11th DPP chairman in compliance with the party's rule of synchronization between party and administrative affairs.

Chen used the ceremony at yesterday's Central Standing Committee meeting to unveil goals to win a legislative majority in year-end legislative elections and to prepare for a long-term DPP administration.
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