New Taipei City Mayor and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) yesterday reiterated that the party’s mechanism for the selection of its candidates for next year’s legislative election would be open and transparent, in an effort to assuage growing concerns over his recent decision to establish a “campaign strategy committee” to replace the party’s primary system.
“Openness and transparency will be ensured [in the party’s candidate selection process]. We will handle the matter in a flexible and strategic manner,” Chu said on the sidelines of a tree-planting event in New Taipei City’s Shihding District (石碇) yesterday.
The two-term New Taipei City mayor made the remarks four days after the KMT’s Central Standing Committee passed an impromptu motion to establish a seven-member “legislative election campaign strategy committee” to help the party win a potentially cutthroat battle in next year’s legislative election.
The committee is tasked with overseeing the nomination and campaign strategies for all of the party’s legislative candidates for regional and Aboriginal seats in the legislature, as well as compiling its list of legislator-at-large nominees.
Chu said that every political party has its own stronghold constituencies.
“In constituencies where more than one party member is planning to compete for the candidacy, there must be negotiations and a primary, while in more difficult ones, the party has to select a candidate. That is why the committee is needed,” Chu said.
Turning to the heatedly discussed issue of creating a “nuclear-free homeland” by 2025, Chu said that the key to reaching the goal still lies in energy conservation.
“It is apparent that the country is wasting energy and it is extremely vital that we figure out a way for industries and families to use energy in a more efficient manner,” Chu said.
He said there were three measures that could help Taiwan follow in South Korea’s footsteps to successfully save energy equivalent to the capacity of a nuclear power plant: offering guidance to traditional industries with high energy consumption; building smart grids; and further promoting energy-efficient lighting options to schools and households.
The issue of a potential visit to the US by Chu was also brought up yesterday, given that Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) — who has registered in the party’s primary for next year’s presidential election — revealed on Saturday that she plans to visit Washington later this year.
However, Chu, who is considered a likely presidential candidate to represent the KMT in next year’s race, said such a visit did not necessarily have to happen this year, adding that a more stabilized Taiwan-US relationship required long-term interactions.
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
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