The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and People First Party (PFP) yesterday nominated nine members to a committee investigating the March 19 assassination attempt, while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and its ally Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) refused to participate.
According to the March 19 Shooting Truth Investigation Special Committee Statute (三一九槍擊事件真相調查特別委員會條例), the committee must consist of 17 members drawn from outside the legislature, the Control Yuan or other government agencies and state-run businesses.
Based on legislative proportions, the DPP can appoint six members, the KMT five, the PFP four, the TSU one and the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (NPSU) one.
All the nominees must be finalized and appointed by President Chen Shui-bian (
The nine members nominated by the pan-blue alliance include former Judicial Yuan president Shih Chi-yang (施啟揚), former Control Yuan members Wang Ching-feng (王清峰) and Chai Chung-chuan (翟宗泉), former Investigation Bureau director Wang Kuang-yu (王光宇), former grand justice Cheng Chien-tsai (鄭建才), former vice minister of national defense Chen Chao-mi (陳肇敏) and former representative to the US Stephen Chen (陳錫蕃).
The others are Fang Chung-min (方中民), a consultant to the Ministry of Justice's Institute of Forensic Medicine and Yu Yue-tang (
The NPSU nominated attorney Luo Ming-tung (
The DPP and TSU have made it clear that they will not take part in the committee because they believe the legislation establishing it is unconstitutional and tramples on the authority of judicial and prosecutorial officials.
DPP legislative caucus convenor Ker Chien-ming (
DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (
The KMT and the PFP also suggested yesterday that the commission hold its first meeting next Monday.
Tseng Yung-chuan (
PFP Legislator Chou Hsi-wei (
"I hope President Chen and the DPP aren't afraid of nominating committee members since they're in favor of an investigation committee, albeit one led by Control Yuan President Fredrick Chien (
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien County in eastern Taiwan at 7pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter of the temblor was at sea, about 69.9km south of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 30.9km, it said. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake’s intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County’s Changbin Township (長濱), where it measured 5 on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 4 in Hualien, Nantou, Chiayi, Yunlin, Changhua and Miaoli counties, as well as
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope