The Taiwan Solidarity Union yesterday condemned Chinese Nation-alist Party (KMT) Legislator Ho Chih-hui (何智輝), who has been charged with corruption with a recommended 18-year sentence, for registering to become a member of the Judiciary Committee in this legislative session.
Lawmakers two days ago finished signing up for committees for the current legislative session and Ho was one of a few controversial figures who chose to join the Judiciary Committee.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
"Ho has been involved in scandals and he went to the Mainland to avoid being investigated," said Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘), the TSU caucus whip.
"Now he has returned and has even signed up to join the Judiciary Committee. It is apparent that he is trying to tamper with justice to gain advantages in his case," Chen said.
"If Ho thinks that he has not broken the law, he should resign his seat and refrain from running in the election. He should not hide behind the immunity shield bestowed on the Legislative Yuan by the Constitution," Chen said.
Ho is alleged to have abused his position to gain loans in several instances.
Ho allegedly took advantage of his position as the Miaoli Country commissioner in the mid-1990s to procure a loan for which he was not qualified from Hsinchu Commercial Bank in 1995.
Ho also allegedly exerted pressure on subordinates to approve a construction proposal submitted by Chiuchun Development Co in 1997.
In 1999, Ho allegedly used his political power to again procure illegal financing, this time in the form of a NT$200 million loan from Kuo Hua Life Insurance Co.
Ho escaped to China last year to avoid going to court.
He returned earlier this month to participate in the vote for the reconsideration request on the statute governing the investigative committee probing the March 19 assassination attempt.
Ho's case is not unique. Other controversial figures who have decided to join the Judiciary Committee this session include independent Legislator Su Yin-kuei (蘇盈貴), who has been involved in several slander cases, KMT Legislator Lin Chin-chun (林進春), who is suspected of corruption, and Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Sheng-hung (陳信宏), whose wife Hsueh Ling (薛凌) has been suspected of insider trading.
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
City buses in Taipei and New Taipei City, as well as the Taipei MRT, would on Saturday begin accepting QR code payments from five electronic payment providers, the Taipei Department of Transportation said yesterday. The new option would allow passengers to use the “transportation QR code” feature from EasyWallet, iPass Money, iCash Pay, Jkopay or PXPay Plus. Passengers should open their preferred electronic payment app, select the “transportation code” — not the regular payment code — unlock it, and scan the code at ticket readers or gates, General Planning Division Director-General Liu Kuo-chu (劉國著) said. People should move through the
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today released images of the military tracking China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) movements during the latest round of Chinese drills around Taiwan. The PLA began "Justice Mission 2025" drills today, carrying out live-fire drills, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and exercises to blockade the nation's main ports. The exercises are to continue tomorrow, with the PLA announcing sea and air space restrictions for five zones around Taiwan for 10 hours starting from 8:30am. The ministry today released images showing a Chinese J-16 fighter jet tracked by a F-16V Block 20 jet and the
RSS