An overwhelming majority of the people in Taiwan would support a probe into the alleged fraud linked to the confirmation vote for key government posts on June 21, according to a KMT opinion poll released yesterday.
The survey, conducted by the opposition party last Friday, indicated that over 80 percent of respondents believe that the Ministry of Justice should look into the matter.
The controversy surfaced last week, when Chang Po-ya (張博雅), whose nomination to be Examination Yuan vice president failed to win approval, accused some lawmakers of asking her aides for money in exchange for their votes.
The KMT legislative caucus, which had boycotted Chang's appointment by banning its 60-plus members from attending the vote, labelled the allegations "highly plausible."
"There is no smoke without fire," KMT Legislator Huang Chao-shun (
Huang said some people saw a senior DPP lawmaker roaming the legislative chamber with a checkbook during the vote on the appointment of Senior Presidential Adviser Yao Chia-wen (姚嘉文) to be Examination Yuan head.
Huang also said that all DPP legislators, as well as a few independents, had to display their ballots to senior colleagues before putting them into the ballot boxes to comply with a caucus order.
DPP Legislator Chou Po-lun (周伯倫), one of those assigned to oversee the voting, was reportedly overheard telling independent Legislator Chen Chin-ting (陳進丁) "the deal would be off" if he refused to display his ballot.
The KMT survey, based on a random telephone interview of 1,067 residents aged 20 and older, showed that 66 percent of respondents are aware of the controversy. Nearly 70 percent said vote-buying is a major problem. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
The Taipei Summer Festival is to begin tomorrow at Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕), featuring four themed firework shows and five live music performances throughout the month, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said today. The festival in the city’s Datong District (大同) is to run until Aug. 30, holding firework displays on Wednesdays and the final Saturday of the event. The first show is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by Aug. 13, 20 and 30. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney Pixar's movie Toy Story, the festival has partnered with Walt Disney Co (Taiwan) to host a special themed area on
BE CAREFUL: The virus rarely causes severe illness or death, but newborns, older people and those with medical conditions are at risk of more severe illness As more than 7,000 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in China’s Guangdong Province this year, including 2,892 new cases last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it is monitoring the situation and considering raising the travel notice level, which might be announced today. The CDC issued a level 1 travel notice, or “watch,” for Guangdong Province on July 22, citing an outbreak in Foshan, a manufacturing hub in the south of the province, that was reported early last month. Between July 27 and Saturday, the province reported 2,892 new cases of chikungunya, reaching a total of 7,716
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
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