■ POLITICS
Ma-Tsai meeting ‘close’
A long-awaited meeting between President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) looked increasingly likely yesterday as the two parties began to talk about holding discussions on an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA). Presidential Office Spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said Presidential Office Secretary-General Liao Liou-yi (廖了以) telephoned DPP Secretary-General Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) yesterday afternoon after the DPP requested that Ma send somebody within seven days to talk about the meeting. Ma said during his recent trip to the South Pacific that he was willing to talk with Tsai about an ECFA, which the government hopes to sign with China later this year. The DPP yesterday asked Ma to make a move.
■ SOCIETY
Oversized burial plot
The Taipei County burial site of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairperson Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) deceased father, Tsai Chie-sheng (蔡潔生), could end up costing her nearly NT$25 million (US$783,000) after preliminary investigations released yesterday found the site to be more than 412 times larger than regulation limits. The issue was highlighted by media reports late last week that questioned whether Tsai Chie-sheng’s burial site in Sindian City, Taipei County, which covers an estimated 3,298m², was in violation of the Funeral Administration Act (殯葬法), which limits burial sites to 26.47m². Under the law, violators have six months to alter sites to conform to regulations or face fines of NT$60,000 for every 26.47m² over the legal limit. In Tsai’s case, the amount would be NT$24.75 million. While Taipei County officials have said they would investigate the matter, some politicians are accusing the county of negligence in other cases of illegally sized burial sites. Formosa Plastics Group founder Wang Yung-ching (王永慶) was given permission for a 2 hectare burial site after he donated 3 hectares for use as a public graveyard.
■ POLITICS
Evacuation drills planned
Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) said the government would conduct disaster prevention drills in the nation’s 25 counties and cities in preparation for heavy rain in the coming typhoon season. The drills will last until the end of next month. “The practice is not a formality, but a task to protect people’s lives and properties,” Jiang said, adding that the central government would supervise how local governments operate their disaster command centers, demarcate areas vulnerable to disasters, alert residents, evacuate people in danger and provide shelters for victims during the drill period.
■ CRIME
Mafia boss makes donation
A local mafia boss donated NT$60 million to charities in his will, with the donation completed by his son yesterday. “The money will be used to buy 10 buses for handicapped citizens to take care of their needs,” deputy Taichung Mayor Hsiao Jia-chi (蕭家旗) said. Lee Chao-hsiung (李照雄), 73, a leader of the underworld in the Taichung area, died of liver cancer on March 11. Before his death, he decided to donate the money to four different religious groups, charities and the Taichung City Government to take care of minority groups. Hsiao accepted the donation from Lee Yuan-bao (李元寶) on behalf of the recipients.
RSS