Su refuses to confirm nine day New Year holiday

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday would not confirm whether there will be nine consecutive days off for next year's Chinese New Year but promised to do so as soon as details are available.

"We are still working on it. But I assure you that the announcement will be made as soon as possible," Su said.

He made the remarks when asked by the press to comment on a story carried by the Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday.

Long break

The story reported that the Cabinet's Central Personnel Administration will announce a nine-day holiday for next year's Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb. 18.

Yeh Juei-hsing (葉瑞興), the administration's spokesman, yesterday said a final decision on the issue has yet to be made.

"Regarding the number of days off there will be over the Chinese New Year holidays, our stance is that we will try to fulfill everybody's expectations as much as possible," the spokesman said.

Attention

The issue received attention because the administration earlier this month made a sudden announcement of a five-day holiday for the Mid-Autumn festival and the Double Ten National Day.

To make up for the extra day which was announced as a holidays, the government said that Oct. 14, a Saturday, would be a working day.

The sudden announcement received criticism as people were forced to re-arrange plans.

Those who had arranged to get married on Oct. 14 were especially badly affected, as many of their guests subsequently needed to go to work on that day.