Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien yesterday caused a furor in the Control Yuan by saying that it might as well shut down because it was not able to perform its purpose of serving justice, after it failed to impeach Keelung Mayor Chang Tong-rong (張通榮), who was convicted by the Keelung District Court of using his influence to persuade authorities to let a woman who had allegedly driven under the influence of alcohol and assaulted a policewoman off with no charges.
It was the second time the impeachment motion failed. Under current regulations, the Control Yuan will not be able to try to impeach Chang again on the issue.
Wang said he originally thought the second meeting would pass the motion, particularly since the media had long labeled the Control Yuan “incompetent.”
Stating that he was very sorry to hear it had not passed, Wang said: “If the Control Yuan cannot provide justice and equality, it might be better to abolish the branch.”
Wang said that Control Yuan positions were often used as bargaining chips or rewards for political favors, adding that if something was not done, the quality of the Control Yuan will continue to go downhill and become one of the “three institutions brewing chaos” to the nation and its people.
Wang was referencing comments by former department of health minister Yaung Chih-liang (楊志良), who once said that “the media, the Legislative Yuan and the Control Yuan are the three parties creating chaos in Taiwan.”
If Republic of China founding father Sun Yat-sen (孫中山), who designed the Control Yuan as one of the five government branches, knew of the nation’s current situation, he “would cry a river” at how his progeny misconstrued the Control Yuan system, Wang said.
“I’m not saying that the Control Yuan with its current members is persecuting people, but the fact that we are seeing very little effect while spending such great amounts of money shows that we have come to a fork in the road,” Wang said.
“If we don’t change, we will not be far from the fate former minister Yang had ascribed to the Control Yuan,” he added.
Wang said the Legislative Yuan — with its powers of constitutional amendment — should “actively broach the subject and review the Control Yuan system” and either make it smaller, or remove it completely.
Wang said he did not care if his comments created a backlash from other Control Yuan members.
“It’s not a personal issue I’m talking about, but rather the good of Taiwan,” he said.
In response, Control Yuan members said that if the Control Yuan president is making such comments, “he should perhaps resign first.”
“What has the Control Yuan President done over the past five years?” Control Yuan member Lee Ful-dien (李復甸) said when reached for comment.
Wang had done nothing to maintain the institution’s health, nor had he done anything that would further its goals, Lee said, adding that Wang had only placed more and more limitations on Control Yuan members’ powers.
“I see no reason, no right, for him to criticize us while we are working hard on cases,” Lee said.
Control Yuan member Chien Lin Whei-jun (錢林慧君) said that if there was a need to “review,” the Control Yuan should review itself.
“Wang is not doing his job correctly,” she said.
FIREPOWER: On top of the torpedoes, the military would procure Kestrel II anti-tank weapons systems to replace aging license-produced M72 LAW launchers Taiwan is to receive US-made Mark 48 torpedoes and training simulators over the next three years, following delays that hampered the navy’s operational readiness, the Ministry of National Defense’s latest budget proposal showed. The navy next year would acquire four training simulator systems for the torpedoes and take receipt of 14 torpedoes in 2027 and 10 torpedoes in 2028, the ministry said in its budget for the next fiscal year. The torpedoes would almost certainly be utilized in the navy’s two upgraded Chien Lung-class submarines and the indigenously developed Hai Kun, should the attack sub successfully reach operational status. US President Donald Trump
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is expected to start construction of its 1.4-nanometer chip manufacturing facilities at the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP, 中部科學園區) as early as October, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported yesterday, citing the park administration. TSMC acquired land for the second phase of the park’s expansion in Taichung in June. Large cement, construction and facility engineering companies in central Taiwan have reportedly been receiving bids for TSMC-related projects, the report said. Supply-chain firms estimated that the business opportunities for engineering, equipment and materials supply, and back-end packaging and testing could reach as high as
ALL QUIET: The Philippine foreign secretary told senators she would not respond to questions about whether Lin Chia-lung was in the country The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday confirmed that a business delegation is visiting the Philippines, but declined to say whether Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) is part of the group, as Philippine lawmakers raised questions over Lin’s reported visit. The group is being led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Huang Chao-chin (黃昭欽), Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA) chairman Joseph Lyu (呂桔誠) and US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) vice president Lotta Danielsson, the ministry said in a statement. However, sources speaking on condition of anonymity said that Lin is leading the delegation of 70 people. Filinvest New Clark City Innovation Park
TPP RALLY: The clashes occurred near the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall on Saturday at a rally to mark the anniversary of a raid on former TPP chairman Ko Wen-je People who clashed with police at a Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) rally in Taipei on Saturday would be referred to prosecutors for investigation, said the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the National Police Agency. Taipei police had collected evidence of obstruction of public officials and coercion by “disorderly” demonstrators, as well as contraventions of the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法), the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. It added that amid the “severe pushing and jostling” by some demonstrators, eight police officers were injured, including one who was sent to hospital after losing consciousness, allegedly due to heat stroke. The Taipei
RSS