Former Yunlin County commissioner Lee Chin-yung’s (李進勇) nomination as chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday cleared a preliminary review at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, despite protests from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers.
Lee’s nomination was jointly reviewed yesterday morning by the Internal Administration Committee and the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee.
However, the meeting got off to a rough start as KMT lawmakers tried to bar Lee from entering the room, leading to a physical confrontation between KMT and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
To break the deadlock, DPP Legislator Chang Hung-lu (張宏陸), who was chairing the meeting, said that the committees would proceed directly with a vote.
Lee was elected with 15 “yes” votes to five “no” votes.
After the decision was announced, KMT legislators began yelling that the voting procedure was illegal and that the outcome was void.
Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) and other KMT legislators began throwing water about the meeting room, prompting DPP Legislator Ho Chih-wei (何志偉) to caution them to be respectful in the legislature.
KMT Legislator Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順) mocked the freshman legislator, saying he had “only been [in the legislature] several months” and that “mommy and daddy most certainly did not teach you to be this kind of legislator.”
KMT legislators then tried to stop Lee Chin-yung from leaving, yelling for him to quit and saying his nomination as chairman was “disgraceful.”
KMT caucus whip Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) accused the DPP of abusing its power as the legislative majority.
Lee Chin-yung was a top DPP member and by accepting the CEC nomination, he has broken his promise to retire from politics after stepping down as Yunlin County commissioner, Chiang said.
“Does everyone believe he [Lee Chin-yung] will be fair and impartial?” Chiang asked.
DPP Chairman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said that the committee members were exercising their legal rights in voting in the CEC chairperson nomination, and that they were obligated to exercise this right within a specified time frame.
The DPP was troubled by the minority KMT’s irrational boycott of the vote, he said at a meeting of the DPP’s Central Standing Committee.
Lee Chin-yung is an accomplished and experienced lawyer, and has extensive experience in local elections, Cho said.
Lee Chin-yung had already formally left the DPP and would be able to carry out his duties in an impartial and fair manner under the supervision of the legislature, Cho said.
He urged all legislators to cooperate on future elections and referendums.
Lee Chin-yung’s nomination awaits final approval by lawmakers during a plenary session.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS