Yen Kuan-hen (顏寬恆) yestrday launched his campaign as the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) candidate in the Greater Taichung legislative by-election at an event attended by party heavyweights and lawmakers.
Yen Kuan-hen is the son of former Non-Partisan Solidarity Union legislator Yen Ching-piao (顏清標), who was found guilty of corruption and sentenced last month to three-and-half years in prison.
Yen Ching-piao joined his son onstage at the ceremony, urging locals to support Yen Kuan-hen in the by-election and defending his own achievements in boosting the local economy and developing the city when he was a legislator.
Photo: CNA
“I’ve offered my dedicated service to Greater Taichung for the past 20 years and helped develop the city, especially its transportation infrastructure. I think locals are aware of the contributions I’ve made to Taichung. Please support my son in the by-election, so that he can continue my efforts,” he said.
KMT Secretary-General Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權) and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) also joined the candidate on stage to show their support, and were greeted by loud cheers.
Wang said that the corruption sentence against Yen Ching-piao had been handed down for a practice that almost all local government heads had at one point undertaken.
“It used to be common practice for local politicians to use their special allowances to conduct local affairs. We regret that Yen Ching-piao was sentenced over this,” he said.
Yen Ching-piao was found guilty of spending more than NT$20 million (US$688,500) in Greater Taichung County Council funds between 1998 and 2000 at hostess bars and KTV lounges during his tenure as council speaker.
Although he was an independent, he was deemed close to the KMT and was said to wield great influence in local politics.
Yen Kuan-hen, 35, served as an assistant to his father before the latter was convicted of corruption. He will be running against the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) candidate, Greater Taichung Councilor Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱), in the Jan. 26 election.
Yen Kuan-hen yesterday thanked local residents for their continued support and pledged to dedicate himself to continuing his father’s development of Greater Taichung if elected.
“The DPP defines this by-election as a showdown between the KMT and the DPP. However, for me, the aim of this election is to elect someone that will serve the people and solve their problems. I will continue my father’s mission to improve Greater Taichung if you give me the chance to do so,” he said.
Despite the great importance that the KMT has attached to the by-election, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who is the party’s chairman, did not attend the campaign event yesterday.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday announced a ban on all current and former government officials from traveling to China to attend a military parade on Sept. 3, which Beijing is to hold to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War. "This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Republic of China’s victory in the War of Resistance [Against Japan]," MAC Deputy Minister and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told a regular news briefing in Taipei. To prevent Beijing from using the Sept. 3 military parade and related events for "united
RSS