NPP releases preliminary list of legislative hopefuls

By Ann Maxon / Staff reporter





The New Power Party (NPP) yesterday released its preliminary list of legislator-at-large nominees for the Jan. 11 legislative elections.

The list includes NPP Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), former party chairman Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) and Claire Wang (王婉諭), mother of the girl known as “Little Light Bulb” (小燈泡) who was murdered in Taipei in 2016.

At the top of the list is environmentalist Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華), followed by Chiu, Wang, Huang and Taipei City Government policy adviser Ben Jai (翟本喬).

They are followed by veterinarian Kuan Hsin-ling (關心羚), former SinoPac Securities chief financial officer Melody Wang (王幗英), Taiwan People News founder Chen Yung-hsing (陳永興), NPP Secretary-General Wu Pei-yun (吳佩芸), Taiwan Institute of Economic Research associate research fellow Bai Ching-feng (白卿芬), award-winning coffee cupper Chao Yun-ching (趙芸菁) and neurologist Chan Chin-chun (詹智鈞).

The order was determined by the party’s decisionmaking committee in a meeting yesterday based on candidates proposed by a nomination panel, NPP spokesman Chen Chih-ming (陳志明) said.

The candidates were selected based on their knowledge and experience in variety of policy areas and how they can help push political reforms, he said, adding that gender balance was also taken into consideration.

Chen Jiau-hua was placed at the top of the list because she was recommended by multiple party members, including NPP Chairman Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明), Chen Chih-ming said.

“She is someone most eco-conscious people would be familiar with,” Chen Chih-ming said. “We hope to show members of the public that we care about these [environmental] issues.”

Wang — who became a judicial reform advocate after her four-year-old daughter’s murder — could help raise awareness on issues related to the judicial system, education and safety, he said.

The candidates would be formally nominated if the majority of party members vote to second the list in an online vote, Chen Chih-ming said.

Voting is to begin at noon today and last for three days, he said.

Hsu expects the party to win at least four legislator-at-large seats, he said.