Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (
Chao was referring to the Yu Huang Temple (
Hsieh was accused of accepting NT$2.8 million (US$84,850) from Hsu Wen-liang (
Hsieh told the media last week that his support group had received the donation from the temple in Kaohsiung's Samin District, in 2003 but later returned the money to the temple because it feared the donation might be "controversial."
The temple later insisted on giving the money back to his support group, Hsieh said, so he decided to spend the money on buying two ambulances -- Yu Huang 1 and Yu Huang 2, which are still in use in Kaohsiung.
Chao yesterday said Hsieh was worried that the documents -- which members of the Special Investigation Task Force took from Kaohsiung City government agencies last Tuesday -- could be lost or destroyed as the investigation continues and in the event of personnel changes in the task force.
To protect evidence that could be helpful to him, Hsieh wanted the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to guarantee the safety of the files, Chao said.
A lawyer filed the request on behalf of Hsieh yesterday. The task force is required by law to provide an answer to Hsieh's appeal within five days.
Chao yesterday also expressed "regret" that the task force had chosen this time to reopen the investigation and said that he hoped evidence helpful to Hsieh would not be destroyed or concealed for political reasons or be used by "certain people" to attack him.
Chao added that former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
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