Children's rights activist tops DPP legislator-at-large list

Taipei, Nov. 15 (CNA) A children's rights activist has topped the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) list of 34 legislator-at-large nominations for the January 2024 elections, which also features a disinformation expert, an actor, and an incumbent DPP lawmaker originally from Malaysia.

At the top of the list was Jing Chuan Child Safety Foundation CEO Lin Yue-chin (林月琴), with Puma Shen (沈伯洋), director of National Taipei University's Graduate School of Criminology listed second.

Ariel Chang (張雅琳), head of the Taiwan Parks & Playgrounds for Children by Children, was listed third. On the fifth place is Lo Mei-ling (羅美玲), an incumbent DPP legislator and immigrant from Malaysia.

In a statement issued after the nomination list was released, Lin, who has been the CEO of the foundation devoted to children's rights for 21 years and worked in social welfare for more than three decades, pledged to provide more protections for children and teenagers if she joins parliament.

"It's my mission to be the voice for minor groups and protect the youth," Lin said. "I'm willing to shield them and fight for Taiwan's future on behalf of them."

Meanwhile, Shen, 41, is an expert on disinformation campaigns who co-founded the privately-run civil defense education institution Kuma Academy in 2021.

Another highlight of the list was actor Kuo Yu-ching (郭昱晴), 53, who starred in the popular Taiwanese TV series "Spicy Teacher" in the 2000s and was listed 12th among the nominees.

However, former Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who was highly expected to feature on the list, did not make the cut.

Responding to the announcement, DPP Chairman and presidential nominee Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said the list showed how the party cares about professionals, as well as values such as social welfare, children's rights, environment, gender equality, international human rights, rights of people with disabilities, immigrants, and the Hakka community.

Lai went on to say that the list was comprised of 18 women and 16 men, meaning women made up more than half of the candidates. Also, the list included young and capable DPP employees who are set to propel the party forward in the future, he added.

Also included in the nominees are incumbent DPP lawmaker Hung Shen-han (洪申翰), who was listed 4th, former Premier Yu Si-kun (游錫堃) at 6th, incumbent DPP lawmaker Fan Yun (范雲) at 7th, DPP caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) at 8th, and incumbent DPP lawmaker and former news anchor Lin Chu-yin (林楚茵) at 11th.

In the Legislative Yuan, 73 of the 113 seats are filled with candidates directly elected by voters in the nation's constituencies, six are reserved for Indigenous candidates elected by Indigenous voters, and 34 are at-large seats allocated based on the total number of votes obtained by each political party in the legislative election.

According to political commentators, the first 10-12 nominees on the DPP list will be highly likely to secure a seat in the Jan. 13, 2024 elections.

The DPP currently holds 63 seats in the 113-seat Legislature, while the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) has 38.