Print

Mail

wiki links

Taiwan Quick Take

■ Health
DOH opens new mailbox
The Department of Health opened a new online letterbox yesterday and encouraged the public to file complaints against poor hospital care. The "Director-General's mailbox" can be accessed on the agency's Web site (www.doh.gov.tw) and the e-mails will be sent to Director-General Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁). Officials say the move is in response to complaints about the limited hospital budget plan that took effect in July. People have complained about being turned away by hospitals, receiving reduced prescriptions or being overcharged. "This new channel of communi-cation is not just for patients," Deputy Director-General Chen Tzay-jinn's (陳再晉) said. "Doctors pressured to limit their number of patients or prescriptions can also use it."

■ Media
HK journalist missing
A Hong Kong journalist who arrived in Taipei last month on a sightseeing trip has gone missing, police said yesterday. Wong Yuk-tung (黃旭東), 41, a reporter for Hong Kong's Oriental Daily News, arrived in Taipei on Sept. 9 and checked in Holiday Inn Asiaworld, the police said. Wong checked out on Sept. 11 but failed to return home as scheduled, a police officer said. His family and friends have lost contact with him and are worried, the officer said. "We are searching for clues of his whereabouts as immigration data shows he is still on the island," the officer said.

■ Diplomacy
Swaziland PM arrives
Swaziland Prime Minister Absalom Dlamini arrived in Taipei yesterday for a five-day visit, leading an eight-member delegation. During his stay, Dlamini will meet President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who will confer upon him the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon in recognition of his contributions to the promotion of bilateral ties. Dlamini will also meet Premier Yu Shyi-kun and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (陳唐山). The delegation will attend tomorrow's Double Ten National Day celebrations.

■ Politics
TV host hits campaign trail
Variety show host Wu Tsung-hsien (吳宗憲) will run in December's legislative elections under the banner of the Non-Partisan Soli-darity Union (NPSU, 無黨團結聯盟), media reports said yesterday. It has not been decided yet whether the newly-formed party will arrange for Wu to run for a local constituency or for a legislator-at-large seat, NPSU Secretary-General Chen Jung-chieh (陳傑儒) said. NPSU Legis-lator Tsai Hao (蔡豪) said that Wu would formally announce his election bid at a press conference on Monday. Wu, who has been a prime targets for paparazzi because of his colorful private life, has reportedly amassed a fortune over the years in his career as an entertainer and a business-man. Wu has said that if he were a lawmaker, one of the areas he would like to straighten up is the local media.

■ Society
Chen visits Faina Chiang
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) paid a short visit yesterday to former first lady Faina Chiang (蔣方良) at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. The 88-year-old Chiang, a native of Russia, is the widow of former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國). She was hospital-ized on Wednesday due to inflammation of the wind-pipe and acute asthma.

This story has been viewed 2201 times.