Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) is hoping that the notorious mob boss in this year's blockbuster movie Monga (艋舺) will help entice more than a few voters his way come election day on Nov. 27.
Veteran actor Ma Ju-long (馬如龍), who has captured the audience's interest with his recent portrayal of the character Geta in the film Monga, yesterday endorsed the KMT candidate, telling supporters that “it would be Taiwan's loss” if Chu did not win the elections for Sinbei City mayor.
The two men spoke to local residents and party stalwarts at the office of KMT Taipei County Councilor Huang Kui-lan (黃桂蘭) in Taipei County's Lujhou (蘆洲).
PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Ma said he believed Chu was best suited to govern the nation's most populous municipality.
He also mentioned Chu's impressive record during his eight years as county commissioner of Taoyuan County, where he used to live.
“I still have friends there and many of them tell me just how well Chu did in the area. That's the main reason why I’m here today,” Ma said.
Recent polls suggest that Chu is neck-and-neck with his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) opponent, Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
DPP Chairperson Tsai yesterday held a press conference to announce that her campaign had received more than NT$10 million (US$315,000) in donations, calling it a testament to her grassroots support.
Standing alongside a dozen teenagers and young adults at her campaign headquarters in Banciao City, Tsai said she recognized that the donations represented the hopes and aspirations of hundreds of Taipei County residents.
Thanking supporters, she said: “[Grassroots] donations are the next step in political culture. I hope even more people take part in this election.”
The donations will undoubtedly come as a big boost for Tsai after a string of recent announcements from the cash-strapped DPP that it would not offer individual candidates financial support in the year-end elections.
Tsai's campaign office has said it will focus on maximizing the use of the limited resources at its disposal and not spend money on printing election banners, flyers or posters. Tsai’s office also promised not to use loudspeakers on campaign vehicles.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
RSS