People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday called President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers “traitors” to the “Three Principles of the People” — the political philosophy developed by Republic of China founding father Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙).
Soong said that like himself, KMT lawmakers and officials, including National Security Council Secretary-General King Pu-tsung (金溥聰), all claim to be disciples of late president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國).
However, all these legislators and officials have done is “spoiled my teacher’s reputation.”
“The way they run the nation goes against the KMT’s basic policy platform. They are traitors to the Three Principles of the People,” Soong said during an interview with Hit FM radio host Clara Chou (周玉蔻).
Chiang would never have hiked oil and electricity rates at the same time, nor winked at irregularities involving conglomerates, Soong said, referring to the Ma administration’s 2012 policy to raise utility prices and the alleged patron-client relationship between the KMT and Ting Hsin International Group (頂新集團).
Ting Hsin was recently found to have used oil intended for animal feed in its cooking oil products. The case is under investigation.
Alluding to the allegation that Ting Hsin gave a political donation of NT$1billion (US$32.9 million) to Ma before the 2012 presidential election, Soong said that those in power cannot be blind to irregularities involving a certain group just because they receive political donations from that group, adding that doing so would be acting against their conscience.
Chou pressed Soong on whether he agreed with Li Ao’s (李敖) remarks on next month’s Taipei mayoral election, in which Li said he would rather vote for independent candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), though he is “dumb,” than vote for KMT candidate Sean Lien (連勝文), who is a “bastard,” on the grounds that “it is more likely that dumbness will bring about changes in Taipei.”
Soong said he agreed with Li, adding that Ko needs to make clear his stance on issues related to cross-strait relations, to reassure voters on this issue.
However, after the interview, Soong told reporters that he had no intention of choosing a side in the mayoral election at this stage.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
The long-awaited Taichung aquarium is expected to open next year after more than a decade of development. The building in Cingshui District (清水) is to feature a large ocean aquarium on the first floor, coral display area on the second floor, a jellyfish tank and Dajia River (大甲溪) basin display on the third, a river estuary display and restaurant on the fourth, and a cafe and garden on the fifth. As it is near Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港), many are expecting the opening of the aquarium to bring more tourism to the harbor. Speaking at the city council on Monday, Taichung City Councilor
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese