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New KMT lawmaker to delay resigning as mayor

A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator-elect yesterday decided to postpone his registration with the Legislative Yuan for a month, but the move was met with stinging criticism from the Democratic Progressive Party.

Tucheng Mayor Lu Chia-chen (盧嘉辰), who won the Jan. 12 legislative elections in the 10th constituency of Taipei County, said if he resigned from his post as mayor and signed up for the legislature on Feb. 1, there would still be two years and a month left before his mayoral term expires, and a mandatory by-election must be held within three months.

However, if he were to delay resigning as mayor and registered with the legislature on March 1, there would be no statutory requirement to hold a by-election, he said. Instead, Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) of the KMT can appoint someone to fill the mayoral post.

Lu said a by-election would cost at least NT$10 million (US$303,000), including the printing of voter rosters, election bulletins and other expenses.

He said he "will not disappoint his supporters" as no major bills or budgetary proposal would be up for review next month and there would be a weeklong Lunar New Year break.

This year's Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 7.

Amid media reports that the KMT had advised Lu to postpone his registration with the legislature for a month, DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) campaign office lashed out at the KMT's "one-party dominance mentality" and its "arrogance."

Hsieh's office spokesman Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) said the KMT's decision meant that not only would Tucheng residents have no legislator to speak for them for a month, but they would be deprived of their right to elect a mayor in a by-election."

DPP caucus whip Wang Tuoh (王拓) said KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had voiced his opposition to the appointment of township-level mayors and should stick to his stance.
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