Family members of Liu Po-yan (劉柏煙), 80, who set himself on fire in a protest at Liberty Square in Taipei last Tuesday, said they could not afford the expensive treatment he needs and appealed to the public for donations.
Liu sustained second and third-degree burns over more than 80 percent of his body. He was in stable condition at National Taiwan University Hospital yesterday.
Liu’s protest was aimed at what he called the government’s affront to national dignity during the visit by China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林).
Born and raised in Nantou County, Liu had been a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) for 58 years.
His son Liu Feng-long (劉豐隆) said that while his father had sustained serious injuries in his self-immolation protest, he could not receive adequate doses of anesthesia because he suffered from low blood pressure, leaving him in excruciating pain.
Since Liu Po-yan was taken to the hospital, he has twice undergone surgery, costing a total of NT$110,000, Liu Feng-long said.
Although Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators and private individuals have donated NT$100,000 to help pay for Liu Po-yan’s treatment, Liu Feng-long said the family needed to reach out to the public for donations to help pay for further treatment.
Donations can be made by postal service wire transfer, and should include a note that the donation is for Liu Po-yan. Money can be paid into the account of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (社團法人台灣人權促進會), account number 19066111.
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
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
RSS