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.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
By refusing to agree spending increases to appease US President Donald Trump, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threatened to derail a summit that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte needs to run smoothly for the sake of the military alliance’s future survival. Ahead of yesterday’s gathering in The Hague, Netherlands, things were going off the rails. European officials have expressed irritation at the spoiler role that Sanchez is playing when their No. 1 task is to line up behind a pledge to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. Rutte needed to keep Spain in line while preventing others such as Slovakia
RSS