《TAIPEI TIMES》 DPP touts Lai’s ‘boldness’ as KMT questions timing

By Sean Lin / Staff reporter

Premier William Lai’s （賴清德） pledge on Friday that he would step down “when the time is right” drew mixed reactions from lawmakers yesterday.

請繼續往下閱讀...

“The statement showed that Lai is certainly not one to cling to power and his office,” Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Legislator Rosalia Wu （吳思瑤） told the Taipei Times

She said she believed that Lai accepted President Tsai Ing-wen’s （蔡英文） request that he remain in the post after expressing his desire to resign following the DPP’s losses in the Nov. 24 nine-in-one elections because he wanted to tide the nation over during a difficult time.

Wu urged people not to speculate about when Lai might resign or what he meant when he said on Friday that only through his resignation the president could “turn a new page,” but give him more support as he presides over meetings to identify factors behind the DPP’s election rout and outline policy reforms.

DPP Legislator Tuan Yi-kang （段宜康） praised Lai’s post-election efforts.

He wrote on Facebook that aside from his pledge to resign, Lai also listed five reasons that led to the DPP’s defeats.

“Lai candidly and boldly pointed out what the problems are. He set an example for his successor,” said Tuan, who on Tuesday last week slammed his palm on a podium as he grilled Lai over party policy that had drawn public criticism at a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Yuan.

Meanwhile, KMT lawmakers said that Lai was equivocating, which could affect the budget, which is being reviewed at the legislature.

Lai’s pledge regarding his tenure has created a “caretaker Cabinet” whose decisions no longer have legitimacy, KMT caucus secretary-general William Tseng （曾銘宗） said, adding that this would stall the Executive Yuan’s work.

If the widespread speculation that Lai would resign after the budget is passed becomes reality, he would force budget allocations for projects he leaves behind on his successor, which runs counter to the spirit of accountability in politics, Tseng said.

The KMT caucus shortly after the elections urged Lai’s Cabinet to resign en masse, KMT Deputy Secretary-General Ko Chih-en （柯志恩） said.

If Lai steps down after the budget is approved, it would present lawmakers with a conundrum when reviewing budget requests by central government agencies, Ko said.

As the Cabinet of Lai’s successor would have to revise fund allocations or submit new budget requests, Lai should stay on or quit now to avoid incongruent governance, she said.

People First Party Legislator Chen Yi-chieh （陳怡潔） asked whether Lai’s timing of his resignation was a political ploy to give the DPP time to fill Cabinet positions.

New Power Party caucus convener Hsu Yung-ming （徐永明） asked whether Lai’s announcement was appropriate, saying that it could negatively affect morale among officials and put lawmakers in an awkward position as they review the budget.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES