Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) landslide victory to get re-elected on Saturday sparked speculation over whether he would run in the 2004 presidential election and whether a reshuffle of his administration is imminent.
Sources indicated that up to eight top departmental chiefs might be replaced, including one of the deputy mayors, Bai Hsiu-hsiung (白秀雄), who is about to retire. He may be replaced by Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆), a former New Party legislator who specializes in economic and financial management.
Lai served as spokesman for Ma's mayoral campaign and he is currently a professor of business administration at National Chengchi University.
Asked whether he would serve as Deputy Taipei Mayor, Lai said yesterday, "I haven't heard anything about that."
"Mayor Ma hasn't contacted me about this issue yet," he said.
However, Lai added that he would be more than willing to offer his assistance to the mayor should Ma need his advice on the city's financial and economic development.
The vice director-general of Ma's campaign office, Lin Huo-wang (林火旺), a professor of philosophy at National Taiwan University, might also be made director of the city's Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, replacing Wu Shiouh-guang (吳秀光).
Wu would return to his teaching post at the department of public relations at National Chengchi University if he was to be removed from his temporary position as a city departmental chief.
Another official who could have his period of transfer to the city government terminated, is the head of the Bureau of Social Affairs Chen Jeaw-mei (陳皎眉), who would go back to his post as a professor of psychology at the National Chengchi University.
Other department chiefs who may be re-assigned include the director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Lung Ying-tai (龍應台); the director of the Bureau of Labor Affairs, Cheng Tsun-chi (鄭村棋); the head of the Bureau of Civil Affairs, Lin Cheng-hsiu (林正修); the chief of the Bureau of Education, David S.J. Lee (
Of these officials, Lung and Cheng had said earlier that they wished to serve only one term, while Lin might be transferred to take up Huang's position as director of the Hakka Affairs Commission. If Huang loses his position it might be the result of criticism over his qualifications -- a subject that sparked rifts among local Hakka groups.
Eighty percent of Ma's incumbent department heads are expected to retain their posts, sources indicated. Ma had said earlier that he is satisfied with his administration team and that he wishes that every member of his team could stay on.
Mayor Ma's administration is scheduled to resign from office on Dec. 17 and the new administration may be announced as soon as Dec. 25.
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