The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday issued a statement dismissing a report that NCC Chairperson Bonnie Peng (彭芸) had decided to resign because she felt “powerless in her position.”
The statement said the report by the Chinese-language China Times “contained statements that are not true and were mainly speculation on the part of the reporter,” without saying whether Peng would resign or not.
The NCC’s personnel office told the Taipei Times that commissioners Lee Ta-sung (李大嵩), Liu Chorng-jian (劉崇堅) and Hsieh Chin-nan (謝晉男) were scheduled to step down in July when their terms expire. Peng, along with NCC Deputy Chairperson Chen Jeng-chang (陳正倉), and commissioners Chung Chi-hui (鍾起惠) and Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲) are obligated to serve four years.
However, the NCC statement said Peng had accepted the Cabinet’s nomination to be commissioner after one of the NCC nominees dropped out at the last minute. The commission said Peng had only promised to be an NCC commissioner for two years and did not say she would be serving four years.
“The China Times report said ‘Peng had decided not to finish her term because of the limited authority she has as chairperson,’ which is not true,” the commission said.
The NCC dismissed the story’s allegation that Peng felt isolated because the commissioners had formed cliques that did not get along because of differing opinions.
“Article 4 of the NCC Organization Act (通傳會組織法) stipulates that the commissioners possess professional knowledge and practical experience in telecommunications, information, broadcasting, law or finance,” the commission said. “It is normal that the commissioners express different opinions, given the various backgrounds they come from.”
The statement also cited Article 9, which requires the commissioners to reach decisions by consensus.
When handling a major issue, the commissioners are authorized by the same article to write dissenting opinions and hold hearings, it said.
The story alleged that Peng felt powerless because she could not rule on the appointment of the commission’s staff.
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