Several Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members known for their outspoken criticism of the party yesterday urged fellow members to judge them by whether they were right or wrong instead of their willingness to criticize the party.
Former DPP legislator Tuan Yi-kang (
Tuan made the comments after a report in the Chinese-language China Times yesterday quoted former DPP legislator Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄) as having said that "the `11 bandits' who had been charged with violating the party's platform because of their outspoken criticism should rise together and fight back against the party's `fundamentalists' so as to `wake the party up.'"
The 11 people Shen was referring to included members of the DPP's former New Tide faction, such as Tuan, former legislators Lee Wen-chung (
Former legislators Lo Wen-chia (
The list derived from a pro-independence radio show which recently launched a signature drive aimed at applying pressure on the DPP to prevent the 11 people concerned from becoming the party candidates in next year's legislative election.
The term "11 bandits," however, was coined by the media and not by any party officials.
"Party members would do better to attack our enemies [rather than us]," Tung said.
"Quite a few DPP supporters think we should not say this, but were our words wrong? They should question if our words were right or wrong and debate rationally with us," he said, adding that the party also "misused" its party platform to restrict members capacity to voice their opinions.
Before attending the DPP caucus meeting yesterday morning, Cheng said he and the others on the list felt wronged because the party had not engaged in self reflection even after the news on Wednesday that President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) son-in-law Chao Chien-ming (趙建銘) had been sentenced to six years in jail for insider trading.
He said there had been "a tyranny of silence" within the party, which prevented many people from voicing their opinions.
Kuo urged DPP members to exchange different opinions rationally instead of "labeling" each other.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS