The number of reported vote-buying cases in relation to the legislative elections on Saturday exceeds 6,000 and involves more than 9,000 people, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said yesterday.
Lu made the remarks while campaigning for Hualien County Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative candidate Lu Po-chi (
Lu called on voters to report vote-buying cases to the authorities and warned candidates not to take their chances, as the authorities had plans in place to crack down on vote buying.
DETACHMENT
In preparation for the elections, 1,500 investigators have been assigned to the anti-vote buying detachment.
All are required to stay on duty until the elections are over, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
Urging investigative authorities to step up their crackdown on vote-buying during the final week before the legislative elections, Chang said law enforcement officers should put aside their personal political preferences to ensure that an efficient legislature is created through clean elections.
The elections, in which the single-member district and two-vote system (
Also, the reduction of the number of seats in the new legislature -- from 225 to 113 -- will double the power of legislators, Chang said.
Chang said that it would be a national disaster if the legislature, which is responsible for monitoring the executive branch of government, were controlled by vote buyers.
CAMPAIGN
Last month, civic groups including Taiwan Society held a news conference to highlight their campaign against vote-buying and said the influence of bribery was far-reaching, adding that courts had been lenient in punishing violations in the past.
The groups have sought much tougher penalties for vote-buying, from the current prison term of three to 10 years to a minimum penalty of five years.
Punishment for individuals who are found to have received bribes, they said, should be increased to between one year and seven years and/or fined between NT$50,000 and NT$500,000.
Existing penalties for receiving bribes are three years imprisonment and/or a fine of NT$5,000, the groups said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHIH HSIU-CHUAN
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS