The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday criticized Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) for causing his party "to degenerate" and the city's development "to regress" in the year since he assumed the chairmanship.
Speaking ahead of the first anniversary of Ma's inauguration, DPP Spokesman Tsai Huang-liang (
Tsai said that several KMT politicians whose campaigns Ma supported, including Hsinchu Commissioner Cheng Yung-chin (鄭永金) and Keelung Mayor Hsu Tsai-li (許財利), had been charged with corruption since assuming office.
These cases proved that "the corrupt system of the KMT has remained unchanged," he said.
Tsai said that while Ma had repeatedly promised to deal with the party's "ill-gotten" assets, the KMT had sold NT$23 billion (US$703.36 million) worth of its assets under Ma's leadership.
He said the DPP had begun a signature drive for a proposal to hold a public referendum to reclaim the KMT's "ill-gotten" assets and that it would submit more than 80,000 signatures to the Central Election Commission for review by next Wednesday.
He said that after the commission finished the review process, the DPP would initiate a second-stage signature drive with the goal of collecting 800,000 signatures by the end of the year.
The DPP hoped that the referendum will be held next year, he added.
In response, Ma yesterday said that after the KMT Central Standing Committee's meeting on Aug. 23, he would explain how the party had handled the assets, including investment profits and losses.
also see story:
Editorial: Chairman Ma, return the assets
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
Taipei is to implement widespread road closures around Taipei 101 on Friday to make way for large crowds during the Double Ten National Day celebration, the Taipei Department of Transportation said. A four-minute fireworks display is to be launched from the skyscraper, along with a performance by 500 drones flying in formation above the nearby Nanshan A21 site, starting at 10pm. Vehicle restrictions would occur in phases, they said. From 5pm to 9pm, inner lanes of Songshou Road between Taipei City Hall and Taipei 101 are to be closed, with only the outer lanes remaining open. Between 9pm and 9:40pm, the section is
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday hosted a reception to celebrate Double Ten National Day. Conservative Canadian lawmaker Marc Dalton called Taiwan a “beacon of courage and resilience in the face of rising authoritarianism,” according to a post on the Taiwan in Vancouver Facebook page. Also in attendance were fellow conservative caucus members Tako Van Popta and Chak Au, who said that Taiwan plays an “indispensable role” in ensuring global peace, prosperity and stability due to its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, it said. Canadian lawmaker Michael Cooper also recorded a message wishing Taiwan a
RSS