The pan-green camp's disappointing performance in the legislative elections means that the pan-blue camp is certain to once again control the legislative speakership, although whether or not the incumbent Legislative Speaker and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Wang Jin-pyng (
As the KMT, People First Party (PFP) and New Party netted a total of 114 seats -- one seat more than is needed for a majority -- there is no doubt of the pan-blue camp's ability to retain the speakership. But whether Wang will keep his job as legislative speaker remains uncertain in view of the planned pan-blue merger. New Party or PFP legislators may haggle for the position, arguing that influence needs to be spread out among the pan-blue parties.
"It is difficult to say anything about the race for the legislative speakership now," PFP caucus whip Liu Wen-hsiung (
"What is certain is that the pan-blue camp will retain the speakership," Liu said.
Taipei Society chairman Hong Yu-hung (
Although the PFP lost 10 seats in yesterday's legislative elections, PFP Chairman James Soong (
"The PFP considers Wang as former president Lee Teng-hui's (
"Although the speakership will remain in the pan-blue camp, it is difficult to say whether Wang himself will remain the speaker," he added.
It is also unknown whether Deputy Speaker and KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun (
It is also possible the PFP will demand the KMT relinquish the deputy speakership position if they ask for the PFP's support in the race. With the pan-green camp still capable of putting up a candidate for the job, a hard-fought political battle is likely.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung (
Chang promised before the election that if the pan-green camp did not win a majority, he would resign his legislator-at-large seat.
DPP caucus whip Tsai Huang-liang (
"The pan-blues have won a majority ... this is a great obstacle for the pan-green camp to win in the race for legislative speaker," Tsai said.
The Taipei Department of Health yesterday said it has launched a probe into a restaurant at Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store after a customer died of suspected food poisoning. A preliminary investigation on Sunday found missing employee health status reports and unsanitary kitchen utensils at Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in the department store’s basement food court, the department said. No direct relationship between the food poisoning death and the restaurant was established, as no food from the day of the incident was available for testing and no other customers had reported health complaints, it said, adding that the investigation is ongoing. Later
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