The heads of Taiwan's law enforcement agencies yesterday unveiled what they termed an "action initiative" to combat so-called "black gold" (黑金) politics yesterday, hoping to restore public confidence in law and order.
Meeting at the National Police Administration (
After two hours of discussion, the group concluded that a cross-agency commission to be headed by the State Prosecutor-general will take charge of implementing the "action initiative," while other government branches will coordinate closely with law enforcement agencies in the fight against "black gold."
Yeh said the action program not only requires prosecutors nationwide to begin active investigations into organized rings' political and economic relations, but asks them to ensure convictions of the suspects having been investigated.
Yeh said the uniqueness of the program is the level of assistance available from other government agencies -- including the Ministry of Finance (
The word "black" refers to organized crime groups entering the political arena by violent and/or unlawful means, while the word "gold" points to subsequent abuses of political power in pursuit of financial interests. In emphasizing the urgency of the initiative, interior minister Huang pointed out that black gold politics has become the biggest obstacle standing in the way of national development.
Citing the results of a recent national survey, Huang said one out of four people in Taiwan has expressed shame over the situation in Taiwan, where organized crime has repeatedly penetrated into the operations of political and economic power.
"The number of elected officials facing criminal charges is steadily growing and the amount of bad loans at local financial institutions is also rising sharply. If we don't act on the problem, where will our citizens find social justice, and what's the meaning for them in pursuing democracy?" Huang asked.
Opposition and independent critics have consistently blasted the KMT's contribution to "black gold" politics.
Political analyst Chen Ming-tung (
According to Chen, these representatives have at times abused their political power to pressure financial institutions to approve loans to businesses owned by themselves or by their friends and relatives.
It is also common that the representatives press for the passage of bills from which they would personally benefit, Chen said.
Law enforcement agencies have made frequent pledges to combat the corrupt side of Taiwan politics in the past.
In distinguishing the new program, the justice minister stressed yesterday that this program will be more effective given the close coordination among various agencies.
Both Yeh and Huang tried to assure law enforcement officials that pressure from corrupt representatives will not undermine the "black gold" crackdown.
"You do your jobs to investigate every possible occurrence of unlawful acts and I will do my job of taking political responsibility for the investigation. Don't ever worry about undue political intervention because all of you are well backed up by Huang and myself," Yeh said.
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
A Chinese takeover of Taiwan would severely threaten the national security of the US, Japan, the Philippines and other nations, while global economic losses could reach US$10 trillion, National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) wrote in an article published yesterday in Foreign Affairs. “The future of Taiwan is not merely a regional concern; it is a test of whether the international order can withstand the pressure of authoritarian expansionism,” Lin wrote in the article titled “Taiwan’s Plan for Peace Through Strength — How Investments in Resilience Can Deter Beijing.” Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) intent to take Taiwan by force
RSS