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DPP's top committee backs current primary system

The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Central Standing Committee yesterday ruled against a proposal to change the party's presidential primary poll mechanism ahead of the party member vote this Sunday.

DPP Secretary-General Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) told reporters after the meeting that many of the committee members believed it would be inappropriate for the party to change its public opinion poll system with the party member vote and primary opinion polls fast approaching.

"Even if the proposal is based on public opinion poll theory or other technical concerns, controversies may arise if we change the poll mechanism now," he said.

CHANGE REJECTED

The proposal, initiated by Acting DPP Chairman Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮), aimed to cancel regulations that entail adjusting the poll to make the poll pool similar to the nation's demographic statistics.

Lin said the party's poll center would continue to refine the mechanism, but any changes should not be implemented in this year's primary in order to avoid "unnecessary speculations."

Party members are set to cast their ballots on Sunday and opinion polls will be held from Wednesday to Friday next week.

The party has said it would announce its candidates on May 30.

RALLY PLANNED

Lin said the committee also planned to organize a large-scale rally, possibly in September, to demonstrate the public's desire for Taiwan to join international organizations as a sovereign nation.

Details of the rally are still being planned, he said.

In related news, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), one of the party's four presidential hopefuls, warned her rivals to steer clear of vote-buying in the run-up to Sunday's primary.

Citing Article 89 of the President and Vice President Election and Recall Law (總統副總統選舉罷免法), Lu said presidential hopefuls could face a sentence of three to 10 years and/or be fined between NT$1 million (US$31,250) and NT$10 million if they are convicted of vote-buying.

She urged investigators and prosecutors to vigorously pursue vote-buying investigations.

"I'm running in the primary with true intentions, utmost sincerity and humility," she said. "I don't play tricks; I don't have much power; I don't raise funds and I don't mobilize voters."

Lu also called on Chai to act to ensure a fair primary.

During Lu's brief term as acting DPP chairman in December 2005 the Central Standing Committee endorsed her proposal to ban party members from organizing buses to take voters to polling stations, she said.

The proposal made the party chairman by-election clean and fair, the vice president said.

Lu said she hoped Chai would also run a clean and fair primary on Sunday.

CLEAN VOTE

Lin responded by telling reporters that DPP headquarters had reinforced its investigation into possible vote-buying ahead of its primaries, including probes into whether any members held the membership cards of other people in a bid to increase the vote for a certain candidate.

"We urge all aspirants to compete fairly in the primary ... If any vote-buying is found, the party will severely punish," those responsible, he said.

Lin said Chai told the committee meeting that party officials should not hire buses to take supporters to voting stations for the primary.

Other vehicles should also be parked at least 100m away from the voting stations so that the polls could proceed smoothly, Lin said.
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