The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday warned of prevalent vote buying in central and southern Taiwan and the possibility of election-eve incidents today, urging authorities to step up investigations and security measures.
While voter turnout is regarded as one of the three key factors in the outcome of tomorrow’s presidential and legislative elections, vote buying and possible incidents pose greater concern, DPP spokesperson Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) told a press conference.
Media reports of suspected vote buying were alarming and worrisome, Chen said, citing the case of Chung Shao-ho (鍾紹和), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) legislative candidate in Greater Kaohsiung’s First District.
Photo: Reuters
Chung’s 50 campaigners were investigated on Wednesday for allegedly buying votes for NT$500.
Vote buying appears to be widespread in central and southern Taiwan, which the KMT has designated “crucial constituencies,” Chen said, calling on the judiciary to be proactive in its investigations of the allegations in those regions.
DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) also raised the issue on the campaign trail, saying in Taoyuan that there had been rumors of vote buying in which the presidential and the legislative elections were being “bundled.”
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
“If the rumors are true, it would be heartbreaking. If votes can be bought ... if the presidency can be bought, that would be the biggest disgrace for Taiwan and the -saddest thing that could happen to our democracy,” Tsai said.
The DPP also expressed concern over possible incidents prior to election day that might have an impact on the polls, such as the shooting of Sean Lien (連勝文), a son of former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰), on the eve of the special municipality elections in November 2010.
The incident was regarded by many analysts and observers as a determining factor in the outcome of one of the hotly contested elections, in which the KMT won three of the five mayoral seats.
“The last thing we want to see is a repeat of the 2010 shooting incident,” DPP spokesperson Kang Yu-cheng (康裕成) said.
Kang urged the National Security Bureau, which is charged with protecting the candidates, to increase its security for candidates, their families and senior politicians.
She also called on the media to refrain from sensational reporting, which could rile voters and incite conflict if an incident does occur.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
The National Development Council (NDC) yesterday unveiled details of new regulations that ease restrictions on foreigners working or living in Taiwan, as part of a bid to attract skilled workers from abroad. The regulations, which could go into effect in the first quarter of next year, stem from amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) passed by lawmakers on Aug. 29. Students categorized as “overseas compatriots” would be allowed to stay and work in Taiwan in the two years after their graduation without obtaining additional permits, doing away with the evaluation process that is currently required,
RSS