Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (
Although the KMT will enjoy a two-thirds majority in the new legislature, Ma said the party would allow the Cabinet to get on with its work, instead of asking the president to appoint a new premier and then forming a new Cabinet before the inauguration of a new president in May.
Ma also pledged not to pursue any constitutional amendments in the next two years, saying that implementing the Constitution that was amended only three years ago was more important than revising it at this stage.
"What the public wants most at this stage is for us to revive the economy and enrich their lives," Ma said during a forum held yesterday by the Association for Strategic Development of Chinese Economic Region.
It is common practice for the premier to lead the Cabinet in resigning en masse as a show of respect for a newly elected legislature, which will reconvene on Feb. 1.
The tradition dates back to the period when the legislature had the power to approve Cabinet appointments. This was changed after the constitutional amendments in 1997.
After the Cabinet's resignation at the end of this month, the president will either appoint a new premier and Cabinet or keep the current Cabinet until May 20, when the new president is sworn in.
Ma also vowed to put an end to ethnic confrontation, ease regulations on investment, push for a prosperous cross-strait relationship, demand that all government officials remain neutral, fight corruption and respect opposition parties if elected.
"The KMT won the majority in the legislature through a democratic process, rather than through violence. Our victory should not be considered a crime. Instead, it showed that people want change," he said.
Discussing the issue of changing constituency districts, Ma proposed redrawing them to create three cities and 15 counties in the next eight years if elected.
Taipei City, Taipei County and Keelung City could be integrated into one metropolitan area; Tai-chung City, Taichung County, Changhua County and Nantou County can be merged; while Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County could be merged into another metropolitan area, Ma said.
The forming of the three metropolises would help stimulate economic development in other cities and counties, Ma said.
Ma also proposed merging the 319 towns around the country, but opposed appointing, rather than electing, township magistrates.
"I oppose such a move on the basis of grassroots democracy. It would be strange to have the government appoint township magistrates when grassroots power is growing in other countries like the US and Japan," Ma said.
The draft of the "Law on Local Government Systems" (
If the law is passed, the central government will be in charge of appointing township magistrates.
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