The recent controversy over alleged links between criminal figures and politicians showed no signs of abating yesterday, as pan-blue and pan-green legislators continued to trade accusations over who had closer ties with a Nantou County convict.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀) threw the first blow, telling a press conference that a number of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) figures had been close to Chiang Chin-liang (江欽良), a paroled former gangster from central Taiwan.
Chang showed reporters four pictures that showed DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯), former DPP legislators Lin Yun-sheng (林耘生) and Tang Huo-shen (湯火聖), former Nantou County commissioner Lin Tsung-nan (林宗男) and former Tsaotun Township chief Hung Tun-jen (洪敦仁) accompanying Chiang.
PHOTO: CNA
Chang said one of the pictures was taken at the inauguration of a night market in central Taiwan on Sept. 16, 2002, with Chiang and Lin Tsung-nan designated VIPs at the event, which Chang said Hung, Tsai and Tang also attended.
Another picture was from 2004 and showed Chiang holding a campaign meeting for Lin Yun-sheng when he was running for the legislature, Chang said.
Chang’s move came after DPP Nantou County commissioner candidate Lee Wen-chung (李文忠) last week accused Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) of having close ties to Chiang.
Local media showed images of Wu and his wife vacationing in Bali, Indonesia, with Nantou County Commissioner Lee Chao-ching (李朝卿) and Chiang.
Wu on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Lee for alleging that Wu arranged gravel business contracts during the trip.
In response to Chang’s allegation, DPP Legislator William Lai (賴清德) yesterday accused the KMT of trying to shift the focus away from the premier.
Lai said that if Chang’s allegation were true, then Lee’s allegation could also be true because Chiang, Lee and Wu’s wife were also caught on camera as they attended an inaugural ceremony of a night market in Nantou.
“If the KMT’s allegations make any sense, then it’s just as correct to say Wu Den-yih, Lee Chao-ching and Chiang Chin-liang toured Bali together to make secret deals,” Lai said.
Meanwhile, the DPP’s Central Standing Committee (CSC) yesterday ruled unanimously to recommend the Central Disciplinary Committee expel the DPP’s Caotun Township (草屯) office head, Huang Wen-chun (黃文君), for making false allegations against Lee Wen-chung. Huang told a press conference on Saturday that Lee Wen-chung turned against Chiang after trying but failing to garner Chiang’s support.
DPP Spokesman Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said Huang’s action had harmed the party and a decision on her expulsion would be made at the next Central Disciplinary Committee meeting on Nov. 26. Huang will also be invited to make her case, he said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JENNY W. HSU
NEW AGREEMENT: Malaysia approved imports last year after nearly two years of negotiations and inspections to meet quarantine requirements, officials said Up to 3.6 tonnes of pomeloes from Taiwan cleared Malaysian customs on Friday, in the first shipment of Taiwanese pomeloes to Malaysia. Taiwan-grown pomeloes are popular in domestic and overseas markets for their tender and juicy taste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said. The fruit is already exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, it added. The agency began applying for access to the Malaysian market in 2023, compiling data on climate suitability, pests and diseases, and post-harvest handling, while also engaging in nearly two years of negotiations with Malaysian authorities and submitting supplementary
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
Tigerair Taiwan and China Airlines (CAL) today announced that several international flights were canceled or rescheduled due to Typhoon Ragasa. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has maintained sea and land warnings for the typhoon. Its storm circle reached the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) on Taiwan's southern tip at 11am today. Tigerair Taiwan said it canceled Monday's IT551/IT552 Taoyuan-Da Nang, IT606/IT607 Taoyuan-Busan and IT602 Taoyuan-Seoul Incheon flights. Tomorrow, cancelations include IT603 Seoul Incheon-Taoyuan, as well as flights between Taoyuan and Sapporo, Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa, Fukuoka, Saga, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Asahikawa and Jeju. On Wednesday, the IT321/IT322 Kaohsiung-Macau round-trip would also be canceled. CAL announced that today's
Three tropical depressions yesterday intensified into tropical storms, with one likely to affect Taiwan as a typhoon, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The three storms, named Mitag, Ragasa and Neoguri, were designated as storms No. 17 to 19 for this year, the CWA said. Projected routes indicate that Ragasa is most likely to affect Taiwan, it said. As of 2am today, Ragasa was 1,370km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) on the southernmost tip of Taiwan. It was moving west-northwest before turning northwest, slowing from 11kph to 6kph, the agency said. A sea warning for Ragasa is unlikely before Sunday afternoon, but its outer rim
RSS