A national security official said yesterday he had received information that "radical elements" have threatened to assassinate presidential candidates, including Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), and that the bureau would make every effort to prevent an incident.
National Security Bureau (NSB) chief Shi Hwei-yow (許惠祐) made the remark while briefing the legislature's National Defense Committee on the security measures for the presidential candidates.
"We have received information about threats to assassinate Ma, but we are evaluating whether they are real, or just idle threats," Shi said.
He said there have been increasingly radical speeches from candidates on both sides as the election nears and that he hoped the public would stay calm, as it would benefit the country's democracy.
He said the bureau was confident it could keep the candidates safe.
KMT Spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) said the party would "take measures" to ensure Ma's safety.
In addition to hiring five extra bodyguards for Ma, the party will adjust its protection measures for him, Su said.
However, he said it is necessary for Ma to stick to his campaign schedule in order to win the presidential election.
Meanwhile, Shi confirmed that President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) daughter, Chen Hsing-yu (陳幸妤), is traveling abroad. Chen Hsing-yu has left the country with her children, but the trip was not related to a threat she received last week, he said, adding that her husband, Chao Chien-ming (
Shi said the bureau ordered extra protection for Chen Hsing-yu after the Chinese-language Apple Daily received a threatening postcard about her last week.
The postcard threatened to attack the dental clinic where Chen Hsing-yu works unless she apologized on behalf of her father for comments he made last month, when he said that pan-blue supporters could swim to China if they liked China so much.
Shi said the bureau was trying to find the sender of the postcard.
In related news, the KMT unveiled its campaign theme for next month's legislative elections yesterday, appealing to people's belief in a change of fortune at Lunar New Year.
At a press conference at party headquarters, KMT spokeswoman Chen Shu-jung (陳淑蓉) said the theme -- "2008 Taiwan's Luck Takes a Turn for the Better" -- showed the party's emphasis on the economy.
"We expect voters to use their ballots to express their [discontent with] the government's indifference to people's livelihoods and its incitement of ethnic conflict," she said.
She said the campaign theme represents "the feelings of all Taiwanese people," adding "we expect a new miracle that will give Taiwanese people an opportunity to have a lift in fortune."
The campaign logo features a rotating KMT emblem and an icon in the form of Taiwan inside the number "8."
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