Following revelations that Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Special Investigation Division (SID) prosecutors unexpectedly stumbled upon alleged influence-peddling involving former minister of justice Tseng Yung-fu (曾勇夫) while monitoring Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Ker Chien-ming’s (柯建銘) mobile phone, lawmakers on Saturday said that many of them had been wiretapped in the past and that it would be odd if someone of Ker’s stature was not wiretapped.
DPP Legislator Lin Shu-fen (林淑芬) said that the public would not feel safe if even Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) could be wiretapped.
DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) said that her brother, Chiu Ming-chang (邱名璋), was also wiretapped while running for Pingtung County councilor.
“Anyone who lived during the White Terror era knows that the Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] wiretaps people,” Chiu Yi-ying said.
CONSCIENCE
Chiu Yi-ying said that no matter how laws are changed, the government would always have the power to wiretap its citizens, adding that whether people were wiretapped depends on how democratic the government in power was, and how much of a conscience it has.
KMT Legislator Ma Wen-chun (馬文君) also said that the SID was out of line.
“It always said it did not wiretap [anyone], but in truth they have been doing just that. I find it unbelievable that it would use such a method [to investigate cases],” Ma said.
KMT Legislator Lin Ming-chen (林明溱) said that because some of his constituents would say directly over the telephone: “Help me do this and I’ll give you [X] amount of cash,” he was afraid the SID might take such calls seriously.
WARNING
To warn these callers, he said he has recorded a message that said: “This telephone conversation is being recorded, please be mindful of your words,” to be played whenever people call.
Lin Ming-chen said he wondered whether the SID had wiretapped Ker first, heard something suspicious, then applied for a wiretap warrant from the court to cover its tracks and make its surveillance legal after the fact.
He added that he hoped that the judiciary would respect human rights and not overreact by wiretapping everyone.
KMT Legislator Alex Tsai (蔡正元) said that if the SID had not obtained a warrant from the court prior to wiretapping Ker’s phone, such actions fell under the definition of “White Terror,” but that if it had first obtained a warrant, then it was legal.
KMT Legislator Lin Tsang-min (林滄敏) said that he was also under surveillance, adding that surveillance was acceptable as long as it followed the law.
Additional reporting by Chen Yen-ting and Chen Feng-li
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,
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
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
RSS