TAIPEI: Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou approved the resignation of Prosecutor-General Chen Tsung-ming Wednesday, hours after he received the resignation letter.

Chen tendered his resignation shortly after being impeached Tuesday by the watchdog Control Yuan for dereliction of official duty and lack of integrity.

Ma said earlier yesterday that a senior prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors Office will be named to serve as acting prosecutor-general because the Legislative Yuan is now in winter recess and cannot endorse his nomination for Chen's replacement.

As for the qualifications of a new top prosecutor, Ma said that the post should be filled by someone who has "high moral integrity and professional credentials" in order to lead Taiwan's prosecutorial personnel.

Asked if the often-cited Judicial Yuan Secretary-General, Hsieh Wen-ting, Taiwan High Prosecutors Office Chief Prosecutor Yen Da-ho and "Deputy Justice Minister" Huang Shih-ming are being considered for the post, Ma said that they will not be excluded from the list of candidates.

"There are not many who are qualified to fill the post. It will be a very short list," the president said.

The "president" is required to name his nominee for the top prosecutor post within three months after accepting Chen's resignation. Ma said that he will hold discussions on the matter with "Premier" Wu Den-yih and "Justice Minister" Wang Ching-feng.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 01/21/2010 page2)