Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Liao Cheng-ching (廖正井) yesterday voiced his support for former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to be granted medical parole, becoming the first KMT legislator to support pan-green lawmakers’ call to amend the Act Governing Preferential Treatment to Retired Presidents and Vice Presidents (卸任總統副總統禮遇條例) that would grant retired presidents and vice presidents preferential treatment based on their medical needs.
The former president, who is serving a 20-year sentence for corruption, has been staying at Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) for treatment following a series of ailments, including sleep apnea, severe depression, minor brain damage and suspected Parkinson’s disease.
A TVGH medical report on Chen’s condition on Monday suggested the Ministry of Justice allow Chen to return home for medical care and rest, or to be relocated to a professional psychiatric clinic near his home.
Chen’s attending physician, Chou Yuan-hua (周元華), said that if Chen returned to Taipei Prison the risk of him committing suicide was very high.
The report and Chou’s comment prompted pan-green lawmakers to renew their call for President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to respect diagnoses made by medical professionals as he and other government agencies had previously said they would.
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) of the KMT on Tuesday also said that as Chen’s health is ailing and a professional diagnosis has been made, he hoped the ministry would listen to the doctors’ advice and consider the possibility of preferential treatment for retired presidents.
Liao, who is also the convener of the legislature’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee — a committee with a majority of KMT members — made clear his support for medical parole for Chen yesterday.
Liao said if the KMT caucus does not have restrictions in place, he would support the opposition lawmakers’ proposed amendment of the act.
Party factions or factors should not influence the decision on Chen’s health issues, and Chen should be accorded a modicum of respect as a previous head of state, Liao said.
KMT caucus secretary-general Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) tried to douse the fire that Liao’s comments caused, saying that amendments tailor-made for specific individuals are “the worst amendments.”
KMT Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) added that the focus is not on whether the Act should be amended, but rather on whether Chen meets the required prerequisites for medical parole.
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
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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