The People First Party (PFP) yesterday criticized the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) decision to adopt a "pan-blue voter exclusion" measure in public opinion polls to select its legislative candidates for the regional seats in December.
Adopting the measure, which the DPP expected would exclude about 50 percent of opposition pan-blue alliance supporters from participating in the DPP's public opinion polls, would only "lead to greater restrictions on the party's future development," PFP spokesman Lee Hung-chun (
The DPP's Central Standing Committee approved the measure on Wednesday during its weekly meeting, with the goal of ensuring that its legislative candidates would be loyal by preventing pan-blue voters from influencing the selection process.
In accordance with its primary mechanism, the DPP will select candidates via a composite election, with the results of public opinion polls counting for 70 percent of the final tally and direct voting by party members counting for 30 percent.
"The fact that the DPP chooses to listen to only half of Taiwan's 23 million people indicates that the ruling party lacks a broad vision and an open mind to embrace the general public," said Lee, adding that the ruling party hoped to nominate candidates loyal to it alone.
"It is really an unbecoming practice," he said.
Taiwan Solidarity Union legislative caucus whip Tseng Tsahn-deng (
Meanwhile, Lee, commenting on the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-PFP cooperation ahead of the December legislative election, said that both parties had reached an initial agreement that only a single, best qualified candidate from either party -- as determined by negotiations -- would run in each constituency.
Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀), a PFP lawmaker and director of the party's policy center, said later yesterday that his party placed a high degree of importance on a promise made by former KMT acting Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) that the KMT will live up to its pledge by further cooperating with the PFP if he is elected party chairman in tomorrow's by-election.
If Wu really means what he said, it would be very helpful in forging further KMT-PFP collaboration in the coming legislative election, Chang said.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
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