Disregarding public protests that the March 19 Shooting Truth Investigation Special Committee Statute (
The committee is now ready to operate starting next Monday, raising fears that the nation may once again be torn by confrontation between the blue and green camps.
The statute absurdly specifies that the committee will have 17 members drawn from outside the legislature or other government agencies, based on the number of seats the political parties hold in the legislature. All members can instruct prosecutors to search and investigate whoever is suspected or accused of being involved in the shooting. Those who refuse to cooperate shall be given a fine of no less than NT$100,000, and can be fined repeatedly. If the court's final ruling is different from the committee's investigation results, the committee can request a retrial.
We all know that not even the minister of justice, the public prosecutor general, or even the president of the Judicial Yuan can tell prosecutors or judges how to carry out their investigations, prosecutions or trials. Yet this "special committee" not only enjoys the power to conduct judicial investigations, but also the investigatory powers that constitutionally belong to the government's administrative and monitoring agencies. The committee even has the power to interfere with judicial rulings.
Faced with this nonsensical law, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union are refusing to participate. As a result, all committee members belong to the pan-blue camp, such as Shih Chi-yang (
After the presidential election in March, the street demonstrations willfully and arbitrarily stirred up by the pan-blues caused public support to plummet for the pan-blue camp in general and the PFP in particular. Yet the pan-blue camp continues unperturbed, inciting demonstrations against the arms procurement budget with the excuse that they are looking after the public's hard-earned money. They say that the Truth Committee "is a reasonable mechanism that prevents the DPP from blocking the search for the truth." Do they really think that such far-fetched excuses will deceive the people?
According to reports, funds are already being raised to support prosecutors, other officials and members of the public who are unwilling to be co-opted into this "pan-blue investigation committee." The funds will be used to pay the fines for non-compliance to underline that this pan-blue organization is unconstitutional and absurd. That funds are already being raised for this purpose indicates broad dissatisfaction with the committee, and also highlights the necessity for confrontation between the green and the pan-blue camps.
The most bewildering aspect of the pan-blue camp's policies is that its opposition to the arms budget will weaken the nation's defensive capability, while its special commission threatens the judicial system and disrupts social order. China can only be delighted by these prospects, so the pan-blue camp seems to be less fighting for truth than seeking the nation's downfall.
An elderly mother and her daughter were found dead in Kaohsiung after having not been seen for several days, discovered only when a foul odor began to spread and drew neighbors’ attention. There have been many similar cases, but it is particularly troubling that some of the victims were excluded from the social welfare safety net because they did not meet eligibility criteria. According to media reports, the middle-aged daughter had sought help from the local borough warden. Although the warden did step in, many services were unavailable without out-of-pocket payments due to issues with eligibility, leaving the warden’s hands
When former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) first took office in 2016, she set ambitious goals for remaking the energy mix in Taiwan. At the core of this effort was a significant expansion of the percentage of renewable energy generated to keep pace with growing domestic and global demands to reduce emissions. This effort met with broad bipartisan support as all three major parties placed expanding renewable energy at the center of their energy platforms. However, over the past several years partisanship has become a major headwind in realizing a set of energy goals that all three parties profess to want. Tsai
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday announced that she would dissolve parliament on Friday. Although the snap election on Feb. 8 might appear to be a domestic affair, it would have real implications for Taiwan and regional security. Whether the Takaichi-led coalition can advance a stronger security policy lies in not just gaining enough seats in parliament to pass legislation, but also in a public mandate to push forward reforms to upgrade the Japanese military. As one of Taiwan’s closest neighbors, a boost in Japan’s defense capabilities would serve as a strong deterrent to China in acting unilaterally in the
Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told a news conference on Jan. 9, in response to China’s latest round of live-fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait: “India has an abiding interest in peace and stability in the region, in view of our trade, economic, people-to-people and maritime interests. We urge all parties to exercise restraint, avoid unilateral actions and resolve issues peacefully without threat or use of force.” The statement set a firm tone at the beginning of the year for India-Taiwan relations, and reflects New Delhi’s recognition of shared interests and the strategic importance of regional stability. While India
RSS