The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) acting chairman Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) yesterday said that the DPP rank-and-file will elect a new chairman before Feb. 1.
Ker, who is also the DPP's legislative caucus whip, furthermore said that a number of the general budget bills for next year have not been passed yet and therefore the Cabinet reshuffle will not be initiated until January, since many incumbent governmental officials have to deal with the bills.
Ker also said that the DPP will come up with the details of the chairmanship election in its central executive committee meeting next Tuesday. A new chairman is expected to be announced before the Cabinet's reorganization on Feb. 1.
A DPP Central Standing Committee member, Chou Ching-yu (周清玉), who failed in her legislative re-election bid, has announced that she will campaign for the chairman's position. DPP Legislator Trong Chai (蔡同榮), who is said to also be contending for the chairmanship, yesterday dismissed this news as "rumor."
The DPP did not discuss the new chairman's required qualifications in its last national convention on Sept. 26, but the convention reached a conclusion that a new chairman will be elected by its grassroots party members when President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) stepped down from the position. Because of this, Ker said that he was worried that many unqualified candidates would join in the elections.
"There will be many elections in the next two years and the new chairman has to undertake the task of campaigning for our candidates as well as consolidate the DPP," Ker said.
"Therefore, the new chairman has to have a good reputation among our supporters," he said.
Meanwhile, Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), who has been touted by the local media as one of the prospective candidates for the premiership, yesterday said that he supported Chen's resignation, saying that it was done according to the DPP's tradition and culture.
"I think the president's resignation as DPP chairman demonstrates his sense of responsibility," Hsieh said.
"The president has also made up his mind to become a mediator and his resignation would help him to remain detached and objective in such a role," he said.
Hsieh said that he believed the DPP's organizational system has become mature enough to allow the president to not lead the party any longer.
Commenting on the DPP's failure to win a legislative majority on Saturday, Hsieh said that the DPP did not actually lose, as the party obtained more votes and seats than in the previous legislative elections.
Hsieh said that, compared with the other parties, the DPP was the only one that performed better in these elections than in the 2001 elections.
"The DPP just failed to achieve the goal it had set itself, which, realistically, was too high to attain," Hsieh said.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
The Taipei Summer Festival is to begin tomorrow at Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕), featuring four themed firework shows and five live music performances throughout the month, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said today. The festival in the city’s Datong District (大同) is to run until Aug. 30, holding firework displays on Wednesdays and the final Saturday of the event. The first show is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by Aug. 13, 20 and 30. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney Pixar's movie Toy Story, the festival has partnered with Walt Disney Co (Taiwan) to host a special themed area on
BE CAREFUL: The virus rarely causes severe illness or death, but newborns, older people and those with medical conditions are at risk of more severe illness As more than 7,000 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in China’s Guangdong Province this year, including 2,892 new cases last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it is monitoring the situation and considering raising the travel notice level, which might be announced today. The CDC issued a level 1 travel notice, or “watch,” for Guangdong Province on July 22, citing an outbreak in Foshan, a manufacturing hub in the south of the province, that was reported early last month. Between July 27 and Saturday, the province reported 2,892 new cases of chikungunya, reaching a total of 7,716
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
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