While the government has come under pressure from groups of academics over the way it has implemented education reforms, the groups themselves have begun squabbling over what some see is their manipulation by political parties.
Hsia Chu-joe (
Members of the Alliance to Oppose High Tuition (AOHT,
The internal split in the education reform movement came after Hsia's association agreed to meet KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
The move angered the AOHT and NGYG, who had joined Hsia and his association the day before in a protest outside the Presidential Office to demand President Chen Shui-bian (
Members of the AOHT confronted Lien to stop him from meeting with representatives of the JLERA, which later visited Lien to apologize for the altercation.
In a joint statement, the AOHT and NGYG accused Hsia's association of turning into a "Joy to Support Lien Chan Association."
"We don't want the public to regard us as instruments of any particular political party," the statement read.
A member of the AOHT, who identified herself only as Huang, yesterday told the Taipei Times, "Mr. Hsia's personal political judgment has seriously damaged the position of the entire campaign effort. Hsia even admitted that he initiated this meeting with Lien as well as the subsequent apology."
"Hsia kept all these activities secret from us. He and Lien even didn't allow us to voice our opinions in the meeting," Huang said.
Hsia, a professor from National Taiwan University, is a long-term social activist. He remarked in a public hearing at the legislature yesterday that "the education reform issue would be an explosive topic before the next presidential election."
In addition to the campaign initiated by social activists, more than 100 college professors led by NTU professor Huang Kuang-kuo (
The professors singled out Lee Yuan-tseh (
However, it was discovered that some of the scholars signing the petition had close ties with the KMT.
On Tuesday, Huang visited the legislative caucuses of all parties to seek their support. While Huang received a warm welcome from KMT lawmakers, TSU legislators questioned him over the timing of his actions.
Political commentator Chin Heng-wei (
As the KMT has started to organize a massive protest in September this year to accuse the DPP government of poorly implementing the reform measures, Chin said, "The professors' and social groups' reform campaign is apparently a tool to be used to attack the DPP in a bid to favor the KMT."
"Following this series of incidents, we can clearly see a well-knitted plot there. Hsia was the first one to start off the anti-DPP movement, while Huang followed up to support the activity," Chin said.
"Hsia's motivation is highly suspicious since he has never before shown any interest in education reform activities, while Huang, who cast all responsibility for the education reform plans onto Lee Yuan-tseh and the three-year-old DPP administration, has clearly revealed his intention to hurt the DPP."
Taiwan must first strengthen its own national defense to deter a potential invasion by China as cross-strait tensions continue to rise, multiple European lawmakers said on Friday. In a media interview in Taipei marking the conclusion of an eight-member European parliamentary delegation’s six-day visit to Taiwan, the lawmakers urged Taipei to remain vigilant and increase defense spending. “All those who claim they want to protect you actually want to conquer you,” Ukrainian lawmaker Serhii Soboliev said when asked what lessons Taiwan could draw from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Soboliev described the Kremlin as a “new fascist Nazi regime” that justified
The US House of Representatives yesterday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which stipulates that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican US Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude China from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China
‘T-DOME’: IBCS would increase Taiwan’s defense capabilities, enabling air defense units to use data from any sensor system and cut reaction time, a defense official said A defense official yesterday said that a purported new arms sale the US is assembling for Taiwan likely includes Integrated Battle Command Systems (IBCS). The anonymous official’s comments came hours after the Financial Times (FT) reported that Washington is preparing a US$20 billion arms sale encompassing “Patriot missiles and other weapons,” citing eight sources. The Taiwanese official said the IBCS is an advanced command and control system that would play a key role in President William Lai’s (賴清德) flagship defense program, the “T-Dome,” an integrated air defense network to counter ballistic missiles and other threats. The IBCS would increase Taiwan’s
NOMINAL NEWLYWEDS: A man’s family and his wife — his long-term caregiver — are engaged in a legal dogfight over the propriety and validity of the recent union A centenarian’s marriage to his caregiver unbeknownst to his children has prompted legal action, as the caregiver accuses the man’s children of violating her personal liberty and damaging her reputation, while the children have sought a legal option to have the marriage annulled. According to sources, the 102-year-old man surnamed Wang (王) lives in Taipei’s Zhongshan District (中山) and previously worked as a land registration agent. Wang reportedly owns multiple properties and parcels of land worth several hundred million New Taiwan dollars and has ten children. His caregiver, a 69-year-old surnamed Lai (賴), has been caring for him since about 1999,
RSS