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KMT caucus slams Taiwan Post over stamps

Chinese Nationalist Party Legislator Pan Wei-kang complains about the refusal of Taiwan Post to print the national flag on personalized stamps over alleged political sensitivity at a press conference in the legislature yesterday. PHOTO: CNA

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus criticized Taiwan Post Co (台灣郵政) yesterday after the company refused to issue and sell a set of personalized stamps bearing an image of the national flag for a KMT legislator.

At a press conference, KMT caucus whip Kuo Su-chun (郭素春) said she agreed that Taiwan Post should not sell personalized stamps that were "controversial" at its counters for customers.

"However, no one would call the national flag of the Republic of China controversial," Kuo said. "Only Taiwan Post considers the flag controversial or politically sensitive ... it really made us wonder whether the company belongs to the nation or to the Democratic Progressive Party."

Kuo said that Taiwanese people carry the national flag when traveling abroad or going to sports events.

"It is unthinkable that the postal company would be afraid to circulate [stamps featuring] the flag," she said.

KMT Legislator Pan Wei-kang (潘維剛), who placed the order for the stamps, said she had made changes to the design of the stamps on five occasions at the request of the company after it told her that her design was too "similar" to a set of stamps featuring the national flag previously issued by the company.

"Although the company agreed to the latest design, it would still not sell the stamps to us, even though we were willing to pay a commission," Pan said.

"There must be political concerns behind [the company's decision]," she said.

KMT Legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), who also attended the conference, questioned the company's standards on deciding what kind of personalized stamps it sells at the counter for customers.

"Why is it OK for the service to sell [personalized stamps with the cartoon character] Hello Kitty and [those featuring late minister of justice] Chen Ding-nan (陳定南), but not stamps bearing the flag?" Hung said.

In its defense, Wu Min-yu (吳民佑), president of postal services, said the company agreed to print the stamps for Pan, but did not agree to sell the stamps at post offices.

Wu said the company made the decision because it was "inappropriate" to sell stamps that looked "similar" to previously issued stamps, adding that the stamps with the national flag icon issued by the company dated back to 1981.

Wu, however, did not answer questions on why the postal service had issued three different editions of stamps bearing the flag since the nation was established.

Wu said the decision was made by the company's "stamp design committee," which is composed of officials of the postal service and "people from outside the company."

"The company enjoys the authority to decide whether to sell a certain set of personalized stamps at post offices. There is no absolute standard. We make the decision after evaluating each case," he said.
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