Executive Yuan spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun (孫立群) yesterday said that there is no doubt Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) executives would exert themselves to support the party’s presidential election campaign, in response to a news report that Premier Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) had snubbed a KMT request for campaign support.
The Chinese-language China Times yesterday reported that, in a meeting of the KMT’s upper echelon at the Presidential Office, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) and KMT Secretary-General Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) allegedly said the executive system has not been enthusiastic about supporting the party’s campaign activities.
A person with knowledge of the meeting was quoted as saying that Mao has been distancing himself from the election, saying that participation in such activities is the business of the party system, not the executive system.
KMT lawmakers were said to have complained about the “absence of the Executive Yuan in the election [campaign]” and requested the Cabinet transform into a “combat Cabinet” that can contribute to the campaign.
Sun said that Cabinet members have a responsibility to support their party’s campaign.
“Many people are concerned about the executive team’s role in the election campaign,” Sun said.
“The administrative system and the bureaucracy will absolutely respect the principle of bureaucratic neutrality,” he added.
“As for the political appointees, they would undoubtedly exert themselves in their efforts to support the KMT’s election campaign as the ruling party’s administrative team,” he said.
He added that there is no need to discuss whether Cabinet members would have a role in the campaign.
“As long as the Cabinet members are the ruling party’s members, it is an obligation to do so,” Sun said.
He added that it is “not possible for the premier to have said [that it is the business of the party system to work on the campaign.]”
When asked whether the Cabinet would launch policies to galvanize the economy, Sun said all policies would address domestic needs.
“It would be the people as a whole, regardless of political stance, who would benefit from these policies,” he said.
“Taking good care of [governance] is the best way to support the campaign,” he added.
Chu later yesterday denied that he had complained in a meeting about Mao’s attitude, saying that what was proposed was “merely [a plan] to put forward policies that could enhance public well-being and refrain from tabling controversial policies or those that could hurt the party.”
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