Minister Of Justice Wang Ching-feng (王清峰) said yesterday that she would comply with the findings of investigations being carried out by the Control Yuan regarding recent gaffes.
When asked for comment during a visit to Ilan, Wang defended herself against criticisms of her remark at an administrative meeting on Thursday that Taichung Prison’s Lunar New Year celebrations had been so successful that the prison should consider holding the event at a different venue — even though there was a risk that some of the prisoners might escape.
Wang had urged staffers at the ministry to delete the comment from the minutes of the meeting just after she made it, but news of the comment spread quickly among members of the judicial system.
TRUST
Wang said she was simply expressing her trust in the prisoners and her confidence in prison officials’ ability to move prisoners safely. She added that if any prisoner did escape before finishing their sentence, she was confident they would be captured and returned to jail.
Wang also defended herself when questioned about a blunder on Jan. 21.
During the Lunar New Year celebrations at Taichung Prison, Wang encouraged the prisoners to hug State Prosecutor-General Chen Tsung-ming (陳聰明), saying that they might be granted parole if they did so.
Wang conceded yesterday that the remark had been inappropriate, but said in her defense that she was simply trying to bring ministry officials and the prisoners closer together during the event.
COMPLAINTS
A few ministry officials have complained that Wang often makes blunders. A Control Yuan member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Control Yuan had received e-mails regarding Wang’s gaffes, some of which even contained video clips of the incidents taken from YouTube.
Another Control Yuan member, who wished not to be named, said the minister’s remarks during the celebrations at the jail could have had the opposite effect on prisoners to that which she had intended.
Another Control Yuan member, who also wished to remain anonymous, said it would be difficult to categorize and investigate Wang’s blunders.
Taiwan would benefit from more integrated military strategies and deployments if the US and its allies treat the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea as a “single theater of operations,” a Taiwanese military expert said yesterday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said he made the assessment after two Japanese military experts warned of emerging threats from China based on a drill conducted this month by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command. Japan Institute for National Fundamentals researcher Maki Nakagawa said the drill differed from the
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
A rally held by opposition parties yesterday demonstrates that Taiwan is a democratic country, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that if opposition parties really want to fight dictatorship, they should fight it on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) held a protest with the theme “against green communists and dictatorship,” and was joined by the Taiwan People’s Party. Lai said the opposition parties are against what they called the “green communists,” but do not fight against the “Chinese communists,” adding that if they really want to fight dictatorship, they should go to the right place and face
RSS