DPP question local gov't upgrade appplications

The outcomes, which matched pre-screening speculation based on President Ma Ying-jeou's presidential campaign promises, were politically calculated, said Cheng Wen-tsang, spokesman for the Democratic Progressive Party.

The approval of Taipei County's upgrade is meant to enable incumbent KMT magistrate Chou Hsi-wei's reelection bid, Cheng claimed.

Putting the application of the DPP-ruled Tainan area in limbo is aimed at dampening the opposition party's campaign there, the spokesman alleged.

The DPP demands the screening committee make public all of the documents and records concerning their decision made Tuesday in their one-day interviews with heads of the applicant governments, Cheng said.

The party also questioned how such a complicated process could be decided in just one day, claiming the conclusion must have been already made prior to the interviews.

The panel organized by the Ministry of the Interior approved three applications for upgrade to special municipalities: Taipei County; a joint bid by Taichung city and county; and a joint bid by Kaohsiung city and county.

The applications submitted by Taoyuan County, Changhua County, and Yunlin County and Chiayi County were rejected.

But the committee members, split about the joint bid by Tainan city and county, deferred the case, pending a final decision by the Cabinet.

All the committee-selected candidates will still need a final approval by the Cabinet.

Cabinet officials were cited by the United Evening News as saying that the committee members actually had studied the applications for months before making the decision.

Meanwhile, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu said that it is "simply natural" for her to seek re-election now that her southern port city is set to be merged with Kaohsiung County into a special municipality.

Chen, speaking in an interview with cable network SET TV, said the merger represents the beginning of new and greater responsibilities, according to the Central News Agency.

"I will strive to win Kaohsiung residents' support with the outstanding performance of my administrative team and will definitely come up with a blueprint for the development of the Greater Kaohsiung area soon," she was cited as saying.

Taipei County Magistrate Chou welcomed the screening committee's decision to allow his county to be upgraded into a special municipality without having to merge with Taipei City.

Chou also echoed Chen's remarks that the changed status means greater responsibility and pressure.

He said he will build the upgraded county -- to be renamed "New Taipei City" -- into a modern and international metropolis that offers quality life for its residents.

If the Cabinet approves the committee's decision, Chen, Chou and Taichung Mayor Jason Hu will have their tenures prolonged for another year until the heads of the newly formed special municipalities are elected in late 2010.

Taichung City Deputy Mayor Hsiao Chia-chi said that Hu will take his time in considering whether he will enter the race.

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