Cabinet Spokesman Chuang Suo-hang (
Incumbent chairman, Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國), was appointed an advisor to the premier.
PHOTO: LIU HSIN-TEH, TAIPEI TIMES
He has also been tasked with helping Ministers without Portfolio Tsai Ching-yan (蔡清彥) and Yeh Jiunn-rong (葉俊榮) in setting up a proposed "national communication commission."
According to Chuang, Yu made the decision late Tuesday night under the recommendation of the transportation ministry, but speculation is rife that KMT member Mao was replaced because President Chen Shui-bian (
Hochen was the head of Taipei City's transportation bureau during Chen's tenure as Taipei mayor. Mao's replacement reportedly has a lot to do with his not being in line with government pan-green policies, including privatization through stock sales and budget matters.
However, Chuang yesterday dismissed talk that Mao was replaced for political reasons. "The premier holds Mao's expertise in telecommunications in high esteem.
He has knowledge which will be crucial in the establishment of the proposed national communication commission," Chuang told the press conference held after the weekly closed-door Cabinet-affairs meeting.
The proposed national communication commission would be set up as an independent agency under the Cabinet, according to the draft amendments of the Organic Law of the Executive Yuan, which is awaiting approval by the legislature. The commission's major task would be to regulate the telecommunication industry, on-line information and mass media.
According to Chuang, Yu received Mao at around 8:30am yesterday and Hochen at 1:45pm yesterday afternoon to inform them of their new duties.
During the meeting with Hochen, Chuang said that the premier set down two goals for him.
"First, the premier would like to see him complete the privatization of Chunghwa Telecom before the end of the year," he said. "In addition, the premier would like him to make efforts to upgrade the company's competitiveness."
Hochen said that he is mentally prepared for the new challenge. "The first thing for me to do is to familiarize myself with the new job and do my best to cooperate with the government in the privatization project," he said.
Since Hochen's shift still needs the approval of the company's labor union, it is estimated that he may not be able to take the helm until some time after the Lunar New Year.
When Hochen tendered his resignation in September 2001, he said he was neither flexible nor astute enough to be a politician.
The Cabinet's quick approval of his resignation prompted some opposition lawmakers to talk of a rift between him and his boss, Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), minister of transportation and communications.
Mao was vice minister of transportation and communications before he joined Chunghwa Telecom in August 2000.
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