Hsu Hsi-hsiang appointed acting prosecutor-general

Taipei, May 7 (CNA) Incumbent head prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors Office Hsu Hsi-hsiang (徐錫祥) will take office as acting prosecutor-general on Friday, according to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), after his nomination for the official position was rejected by the Legislature two days earlier.

According to the ministry, under which the Supreme Prosecutors Office operates, it received a formal letter from the Presidential Office on Thursday appointing Hsu to the position in an acting capacity after the current prosecutor-general, Hsing Tai-chao (邢泰釗), formally completed his four-year term on Thursday.

Hsu's appointment came two days after the opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan rejected President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) nomination of Hsu for the official position.

Lai nominated Hsu on March 13 and the nomination advanced to a floor vote following cross-party negotiations in the Legislature on April 17. It was rejected on Tuesday after the main opposition Kuomintang and smaller Taiwan People's Party voted down Hsu's appointment.

On Tuesday, the MOJ submitted a recommendation through the Cabinet for the president to appoint an acting prosecutor-general.

The acting prosecutor-general serves until a new nominee is announced and confirmed by the Legislature.

In accordance with the Court Organization Act, the president is required to submit a new nominee for prosecutor-general within three months of the position becoming vacant.

Hsu, 63, has served as head prosecutor at district prosecutors offices in Kinmen, Hsinchu, Changhua and New Taipei. He has also served as head prosecutor of the Taichung branch of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office and as deputy minister of justice.

Hsu previously served as head of the Ethics Office at the Coast Guard Administration and as deputy director-general of the National Security Bureau.