The Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) stance on forcibly passing everyone on President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) nomination list for the Control Yuan has drawn criticism from legislators across party lines, with claims that the practice serves only to drive a thicker wedge between the administration and the public.
Ma’s use of presidential powers to nominate Control Yuan members has caused controversy, members of opposition parties said.
Places on the list are “political rewards” for individuals Ma favors and that it was the worst list of nominees the nation has ever seen, they added.
There were also dissenting voices with the KMT, with some of its lawmakers claiming that if the list passed without objection, the party’s election efforts at the seven-in-one elections in November could be greatly affected.
KMT Legislator Chen Ken-te (陳根德) said the party should reassess the list to determine if there are any unsuitable candidates on it.
“We should deliver a list that is the closest to what the people want so that the party can avoid being estranged from the public,” Chen said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said the KMT’s internal divisions would only grow if the list does not change.
The current list is a political reward for Ma’s “cronies,” Tsai said, adding that if the KMT forces the list through the legislature, it would be going against the will of the public.
Tsai called on Ma not to use party legislators to rubber-stamp his policies, adding that if there is significant opposition, the president should consider changing the list rather than disregarding public opinion.
The legislature was scheduled to put the list to a vote on Friday last week, but DPP and Taiwan Solidarity Union lawmakers blocked the procedure, questioning the credentials of several nominees.
KMT legislators did not challenge the podium being blocked, apparently because of their dissatisfaction with party orders, sources said. As a result, the legislature ended a three-week extra session on Friday without a vote on the list.
Upon his return from a state visit to Panama and El Salvador on Saturday, Ma was reportedly displeased at the failure to pass the nominees, the sources said.
The sources said KMT headquarters has instructed further dialogue among its legislators while airing criticism of the DPP for an alleged violation of the Constitution.
KMT headquarters has not veered from its stance on passing the nominations and has asked its legislators to carry out the directive, calling for a new two-week extraordinary session to review the nominees, as well as a bill for the establishment of free economic pilot zones, the sources added.
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