Bios of Newly Elected Mayors and Magistrates -

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004986 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/TC, INR/EAP FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR ECON TW SUBJECT: Bios of Newly Elected Mayors and Magistrates - Part II (Kaohsiung County, Pingtung County, Taitung County, and Penghu County) REFS: A) 2005 TAIPEI 3642, B) 2005 TAIPEI 4746, C)2005 TAIPEI 4684, D)2005 TAIPEI 4399, E) 2005 TAIPEI 4886 ¶1. In the "3-in-1 local elections" on December 3 (REF A), the ruling DPP won city mayor/county magistrate seats in five cities/counties in southern Taiwan - Chiayi County, Tainan County (REF C),Tainan City (REF D),Kaohsiung County, and Pingtung County. The KMT won in Chiayi City (REF B) for the first time in 23 years and kept its magisterial seat in Penghu County. Taitung County (REF E) was won by an independent candidate who is still a KMT member. This report provides bio information for the newly elected magistrates of Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Taitung, and Penghu counties. ¶2. Kaohsiung County Magistrate Yang Chiu-hsing (DPP) -------------- -------------- Born in 1956, Yang is the incumbent Magistrate elected in ¶2001. Yang has a master's degree in Civil Engineering from National Taiwan University. He was elected as a Provincial Assembly member in 1994 and as a Legislator in 1998. Before became an elected official, he was a civil servant engineer working for both the Kaohsiung City and County Governments. Yang's strong grass roots support, including from "pan-blue" factions in the county, made this an easy race for him. ¶3. Pingtung County Magistrate Tsao Chi-hung (DPP) -------------- -------------- Born in 1948, Tsao is a former Legislator (1999-2004), former Provincial Assembly member (1994-98) and former National Assembly member (1992-94). Tsao holds a BA in Education from the Chinese Culture SIPDIS University, Taipei, and taught at a junior high school before his election to the Legislature. As a ruling party legislator, Tsao felt that "changing Taiwan" could not rely on politicians. Instead, he hoped that political enthusiasm could be transferred to improving one's community. He has advocated "community development projects" to promote the idea of improving living environments in Taiwan. ¶4. Taitung County Magistrate Wu Chun-li (KMT) -------------- -- Born in 1962, Wu is the incumbent Speaker of Taitung County Council elected in 2002. Wu is a graduate of National Kaohsiung University of Applied Science, Kaohsiung. He was the KMT candidate in the 2001 magisterial election, but was defeated by former Magistrate Hsu. Before the election, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) declared Wu would be suspended from his post immediately if elected because he had been convicted in a corruption scandal. Before his recent December 20 swearing-in ceremony, the MOI publicly reiterated its intention. During the December 20 ceremony, Wu appointed his ex-wife as Deputy Magistrate to have her act on his behalf. Wu divorced his wife on December 19 deliberately to bypass the nepotism law which forbids elected officials from appointing family members to public office. The MOI invalidated this appointment since, they argued, Wu had no authority to appoint subordinates since he had been suspended from the magistrate position. The MOI has appointed Taitung County Government Secretary-general Lai Shun-hsien as Acting Magistrate. There are legal questions regarding the MOI's actions. Wu's supporters claim the MOI has no standing to invalidate Wu's swearing-in since he was convicted prior to his election, not after it. Over the next few months, this case will be argued in court and, in the long run, there could be possible clarifications to the election law. In the near future, the MOI will have to call a by-election to elect a "legitimate magistrate." If Wu runs again and wins his supporters claim that, according to the current "Local Autonomy Law," the MOI will have no further legal right to remove him again from the magisterial seat. Apparently, Wu is planning to run in the by-election. If not allowed to run, Wu's ex-wife intends to run. ¶5. Penghu County - Wang Chien-fa (KMT) -------------- --- Born in 1948, Wang is the incumbent Makung City Mayor (the biggest city in Penghu County where half of the county's residents live),elected in 2002. Wang, a native of Makung City, is a graduate of National Open University. Before being elected as Makung City Mayor, Wang served in the County Government as Director of the Tax Bureau and Bureau of Finance. Wang's older brother was Penghu County Magistrate from 1989 until his death in 1992. THIELE PAAL