Before 41-year-old Yen Ching-piao (
Yen, who got married at age 17, was nicknamed "Piao the stone pumpkin" by his grandfather for his short and stout figure.
After a government crackdown on organized crime in 1986, Yen spent three-and-a-half years in Green Island's maximum-security prison, convicted under martial law. His participation in local politics began soon after he was released.
As a member of the KMT's "black faction (
He became a grandfather the same year when his 18-year-old son Yen Kuan-heng (
Seen as holding sway among local factions and being associated with gangsters, Yen engaged in various businesses, including gravel plants, cement factories and restaurants.
It is unclear whether his investments reach as far afield as China, although he has fought strongly for the opening of direct links with China for the past two years -- ostensibly for for religious purposes, said DPP legislator Chiu Tai-san (
Yen was expelled from the KMT in April, after openly expressing support for independent candidate James Soong (
Long courted by both Soong and the KMT's presidential candidate Lien Chan (連戰), Yen said he decided to throw his support behind Soong because during his tenure as Taiwan Provincial Governor, Soong had visited his constituency more than 200 times and provided ample funds for local infrastructure projects. Yen has also received strong support from the PFP.
Analysts have said Yen's move to back Soong garnered the independent candidate crucial votes during the election in Taichung County.
Although Yen has vowed not to break the law while engineering an upcoming pilgrimage trip to the mainland, his controversial background has left many in doubt about his future intentions.
WARNING: People in coastal areas need to beware of heavy swells and strong winds, and those in mountainous areas should brace for heavy rain, the CWA said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued sea and land warnings for Typhoon Ragasa, forecasting that it would continue to intensify and affect the nation the most today and tomorrow. People in Hualien and Taitung counties, and mountainous areas in Yilan and Pingtung counties, should brace for damage caused by extremely heavy rain brought by the typhoon’s outer rim, as it was upgraded to a super typhoon yesterday morning, the CWA said. As of 5:30pm yesterday, the storm’s center was about 630km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving northwest at 21kph, and its maximum wind speed had reached
MATAIAN RIVER: Rescue operations were ongoing, with officials urging residents to move to higher floors where possible as teams focus first on those at ground level Floodwaters from the overflowing Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) barrier lake swept into Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復) yesterday afternoon, leaving hundreds of people trapped and three missing as of press time last night, the Hualien County Fire Bureau said. The waters surged into downtown Guangfu after the riverbank burst at about 2:50pm, carrying mud and debris and submerging streets to rooftop level in some areas. Residents were seen climbing onto vehicles and rooftops to await rescue as thick, silt-laden water inundated the town. The surge destroyed the Mataian Bridge (馬太鞍溪橋) and flooded the Guangfu Railway Station. Rescue operations were launched with support from fire departments
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said that it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Ragasa this morning and a land warning at night as it approached Taiwan. Ragasa intensified from a tropical storm into a typhoon at 8am yesterday, the CWA said, adding that at 2pm, it was about 1,110km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip. The typhoon was moving northwest at 13kph, with sustained winds of up to 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA Web site showed. Forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said that Ragasa was projected to strengthen as it neared the Bashi Channel, with its 200km
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS: Hualien and Taitung counties declared today a typhoon day, while schools and offices in parts of Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties are also to close Typhoon Ragasa was forecast to hit its peak strength and come closest to Taiwan from yesterday afternoon through today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Taiwan proper could be out of the typhoon’s radius by midday and the sea warning might be lifted tonight, it added. CWA senior weather specialist Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said that Ragasa’s radius had reached the Hengchun Peninsula by 11am yesterday and was expected to hit Taitung County and Kaohsiung by yesterday evening. Ragasa was forecast to move to Taiwan’s southern offshore areas last night and to its southwestern offshore areas early today, she added. As of 8pm last night,
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