The election of new conveners for the Legislative Yuan’s eight committees concluded yesterday.
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won nine seats and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) won seven.
The political fallout from the detention of three legislators in a corruption case concerning an ownership battle over the Pacific Sogo Department Store (太平洋崇光百貨) chain was evident in the election, as the DPP and the KMT needed votes from the New Power Party and the Taiwan People’s Party respectively.
Photo: CNA
There are two co-conveners for each of the eight committees, and each committee is composed of 13 to 15 legislators.
Eight legislators were absent yesterday.
KMT members Chen Chao-ming (陳超明) and Sufin Siluko (廖國棟), along with DPP member Su Chen-ching (蘇震清) are in judicial detention after being charged with corruption and taking bribes of NT$50.94 million (US$1.74 million) in the Pacific Sogo case.
Independent Legislator Chao Cheng-yu (趙正宇) was also absent. He is embroiled in a separate case involving two funeral services companies and a plot of land inside Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山國家公園). Prosecutors have charged him with corruption, but a bail court released him on Monday.
Non-Partisan Solidarity Union Legislator May Chin (高金素梅), who usually aligns with the pan-blue camp, this week took leave for a month to undergo lung surgery.
Another absentee was Independent Legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁), who is serving just under three years for insider trading and stock manipulation. He is a former KMT member and retains strong links to the party.
Following yesterday’s election, DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) and KMT Legislator Lu Yu-ling (呂玉玲) are to serve as conveners for the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, while DPP Legislator Tsai Yi-yu (蔡易餘) and KMT Legislator Lee Guei-min (李貴敏) are to serve as conveners for the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee.
DPP Legislator Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡) and KMT Legislator Lin Te-fu (林德福) are to head up the Finance Committee, while the DPP took both convener positions for the Transportation Committee with DPP legislators Chen Ou-po (陳歐珀) and Liu Chao-hao (劉櫂豪).
KMT Legislator Sra Kacaw (鄭天財) and DPP Legislator Shen Fa-hui (沈發惠) are to serve as conveners for the Internal Affairs Committee, while DPP Legislator Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) and KMT Legislator Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) are to head up the Economics Committee.
The Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee is to be presided by DPP Legislator Chen Ying (陳瑩) and KMT Legislator Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安).
DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and KMT Legislator Wan Mei-ling (萬美玲) are to serve as conveners of the Education and Culture Committee.
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