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KMT deadlocked on votes for non-paying members

The Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) Central Standing Committee yesterday was deadlocked over whether to let party members who have not paid their membership fees vote in the upcoming chairmanship election.

KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) has ordered negotiation on the matter and another round of discussion on the two proposals during next Wednesday's Central Standing Committee meeting.

One of the proposals was made by the party's organization and development committee. The proposal argues that party members must pay their membership fees in order to be eligible to vote in the chairmanship election. Those who fail to pay their membership fees should lose their right to vote only if they refuse to pay after being notified by the party.

The other proposal forwarded by 20 members of the Central Standing Committee argues that all party members should be allowed to vote in the chairmanship election regardless of whether or not they have paid their membership fees. The committee also proposed an amendment of the code regulating party members' payments of fees in such a way that the rule does not apply to the elections.

The dispute has divided the party and supporters of the two candidates vying for the chairmanship.

KMT chairmanship candidate, Taipei Mayor and KMT Vice Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) supports the idea of requiring party members to pay membership fees before having the right to vote in the election.

His competitor, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), however, believes that paying membership fees should not be a requirement for voting.

Visibly displeased with yesterday's deadlock, Wang said that it "definitely slows down his campaign activities," and that a showdown vote is necessary if negotiations eventually fail to bear fruit.

"It is written in black and white in the party rules. I have no idea why some people are still clueless about it," Wang told reporters after yesterday's meeting. "The bottom line is that the rule regulating party members' payment of membership fees has to be changed and it has to be changed as soon as possible."

The rule regulating party members' payment of membership fees, last amended in April 2003 by the Central Standing Committee, specifies that a party member has to pay the membership fee before gaining the right to vote in party elections.

However, the code for the chairmanship election, last revamped by the KMT's National Congress in July 2001, however, does not specifically state that party members have to pay membership fees before being allowed to vote in the chairmanship election.

Wang proposed that the committee change the rule regulating party members' payment of fees because the National Congress is not scheduled to convene its next meeting until August. The chairmanship election is slated for May.

Meanwhile, the committee yesterday conditionally approved the nomination of 160 party members for the forthcoming election of the National Assembly.

In addition to adjusting the list of candidates, Lien requested more younger nominees be included in the list.
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