More jobs for the boys as Cabinet officials selected

Following former independent legislator Walis Pelin (瓦歷斯貝林), former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Chiu Chuei-chen (邱垂貞) has joined the Cabinet as a senior consultant.

Chiu is a senior DPP member and lawmaker but failed in his re-election bid in December.

His new job will involve facilitating Cabinet negotiations and communication with the legislature.

Chiu is well-versed with legislative procedures and has good connections in different political parties, qualities which make him a perfect choice for the post, a Government Information Office official statement said.

Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) has stressed that his Cabinet team will work on negotiations with different political parties and he has invited senior opposition figures to join his team.

In addition to Chiu, former DPP legislator Chen Tsung-yi (陳宗義) has been appointed section chief of the Executive Yuan's Seventh Section.

Walis Pelin joined the team on Thursday as chairman of the Council of Indigenous Peoples.

There are three senior consultants at the Executive Yuan in addition to Chiu.

They are former Kaohsiung City Government spokesman Lin Yao-wen (林耀文), former deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council Kuo Lin-wu (郭臨伍) and former deputy director-general of the Government Information Office Lee Hsueh-chin (李雪津).

Lin is also director of the premier's office, while Kuo is director of the Cabinet's Anti-Terrorism Office.