Several Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators yesterday expressed dissent over speculation that the party will nominate former chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) as a legislator-at-large candidate.
Press reports have speculated that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) plans to nominate Tsai and wants her to team up with DPP Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) to contend for the positions of legislative speaker and vice speaker. In response, many DPP legislators who also intend to vie for the positions voiced their opposition to the possibility yesterday.
PHOTO: CHEN TSE-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
DPP legislative caucus whip Tsai Huang-liang (
"I think if Tsai serves as vice speaker of the Legislative Yuan, it will be a waste of her great talent, just like the incumbent Vice Speaker Chiang Pin-kung (
Chiang is a senior Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member with extensive experience, previously serving as minister of economic affairs and the chairman of Economic Planning and Development Council.
Tsai Huang-liang said it would be better for the Legislative Yuan to be headed by legislators directly elected by voters rather than legislators-at-large.
"I think the legislators who obtain voter support would have more autonomy when presiding over the legislative session," he said.
Another DPP legislator, Lin Cho-shui (林濁水), criticized the potential plan, saying Chen, who is also the DPP's chairman, should not have the power to nominate legislator-at-large candidates. It is inappropriate to let a legislator-at-large serve as legislative speaker, he said, as they are less neutral.
Meanwhile, two potential candidates for legislative vice speaker, DPP legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (
The DPP's Information and Culture Department Director Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), however, yesterday denied that the president plans to nominate Tsai Ing-wen. Tsai's name is not yet on the nomination list and the DPP's nomination committee is still reviewing applications, he said.
"I agree that Tsai is an ideal candidate for legislator-at-large. But the so-called Chang-Tsai ticket was premature speculation by the overly sensitive media," Cheng said. "The final list is still unknown," Cheng added.
Cheng said the nomination committee will continue to review applications in today's central standing committee and the final list will be announced Sept. 26.
Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
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