Central Election Commission Chair-man Huang Shih-cheng (黃石城) reiterated yesterday that Taiwan may draw on South Korea's election experience to allow the commission to become a more neutral, independent electoral organization.
"We can use South Korea's electoral organization as a good example of an independent organization, which holds an excellent public reputation and was able to impeach the president of the country," Huang said at the Changhwa County Election Commission.
Huang said that an electoral organization should be independent and have an outstanding record of and good reputation for impartiality.
Huang has traveled around the country since the presidential election to visit city and county election commissions, to check on the ballots sealed after the election and lists of election workers and to show appreciation to all election workers for their efforts on March 20.
The commission is under the jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan and consists of 16 commissioners, not including the chairman. The commission is designed as a permanent organization that is in charge of election-related affairs.
According to rules governing the commission, commissioners from a single political party may not constitute more than two-fifths of the membership.
Since the election, the commission has been a center of political and public attention due to the large number of ballots that were declared invalid, which has led to the pan-blue camp's call for an administrative recount. Huang has said that only with a judicial order could an administrative recount take place. After the commission's announcement of the winner of the election on Friday, four commissioners -- Lee Tzu-yuan (
It is believed by some that these resignations were due to the pressure which the commission had been put under during the election.
Before the election, Huang had made approving comments about South Korea's electoral organization.
"In South Korea, the electoral organization is above the presidential level. By simply asking voters to cast their ballots for his political party, President Roh Moo-hyun was alleged to have violated the election law by the country's electoral organization. It was an example of how independent and impartial an electoral organization can be," Huang said in a television interview prior to the March 20 election.
Huang stated that Taiwan's election commission was nominated by the Executive Yuan and appointed by the president and political appointees can hardly remain neutral during elections.
"On the other hand, during elections in South Korea, the president and heads of all government offices have to take a neutral stance, and are barred from campaigning for their political parties. However, in Taiwan, never has any head of state remained neutral during any election, let alone urged politically appointed officials to do the same," Huang said.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
RSS