The Presidential Office yesterday confirmed that Public Functionary Disciplinary Sanction Commission Chief Commissioner Hsieh Wen-ting (謝文定) and Judicial Yuan Secretary-General Lin Chin-fang (林錦芳), who were nominated by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) as Judicial Yuan president and vice president respectively, have withdrawn their nominations, with Tsai’s consent.
Following Tsai’s nominations last month for the Judicial Yuan’s top posts, Hsieh and Lin had come under criticism from pro-localization groups, who said the nominations would hamper judicial reform, because Hsieh was a party to human rights violations during the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) authoritarian era, while Lin has a history of intervening in the judicial process.
The office said that Hsieh and Lin expressed their desire to withdraw, and following a talk with the two yesterday afternoon, Tsai agreed to void their nominations, because Hsieh and Lin were “very determined” to drop out.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Hsieh and Lin were quoted as telling Tsai that the unfair accusations leveled against them during the process have troubled them, as well as their friends and families, and they were unwilling to let the controversy impose further obstacles to Tsai’s judicial reform agenda.
Tsai rescinded their nominations to honor their wishes and work is to proceed for new nominees to head the Judicial Yuan, the office said.
Tsai was quoted by the office as saying that Hsieh and Lin are senior members of the judiciary with “sound reputations for integrity and competence,” and while she respects differences in public opinion, they had been subjected to criticism that was “not entirely fair or factually accurate,” which constitutes “an attack on their contributions to the profession of law,” and that she intends to support Hsieh’s and Lin’s efforts in “defending their good name.”
Hsieh and Lin did not ask for the nominations, Tsai said, adding that she expresses her “deep remorse” that they had been subjected to “criticism and misunderstanding” as a result of the presidency’s actions, adding that she is to continue to consult them in matters pertaining to judicial reform.
Tsai said that the presidency, not the nominees, will take responsibility for the turnabout, and her future nominations are to proceed along the same principles of selecting people with practical experience and academic reputation to ensure the implementation of judicial reform.
Tsai said that she accepts the criticisms and suggestions from legal academics and reform groups with humility and sincerity, but expressed her wish that all parties should refrain from “unnecessary labeling and confrontation” to allow cooperation between the public and members of the judiciary to form “a consensus for concrete and actionable reforms.”
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