Faced with a possible Control Yuan investigation over the Taipei City Government’s improper use of its public housing budget, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday said that he would not worry too much about being investigated, and that being probed by the agency during his time as a physician actually helped him become Taipei mayor.
Ko made the remark at a forum in New Taipei City’s Yonghe District (永和), where he discussed with legislative candidates his political beliefs and possibilities of improving collaborations between the two municipalities.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Chen Yung-te (陳永德) on Friday said that the KMT Taipei City Council caucus would file a report with the Control Yuan concerning the city government’s inappropriate use of funds, which it said totaled NT$15 million (US$454,476), and ask that Ko be probed.
Photo: Chung Hung-liang, Taipei Times
The city government’s unauthorized use of the fund was illegal and disdainful, Chen said.
In response to media queries yesterday on whether he was worried about the possible investigation, Ko said: “I became mayor because I was investigated by the Control Yuan.”
Ko was referring to an incident in which the National Taiwan University Hospital negligently transplanted the organs of AIDS patients, for which Ko, who helped design the registration system for organ transplants, nearly got impeached by the Control Yuan.
Ko had protested the punishment handed by the Control Yuan numerous times, citing a loophole in the system and likening the impeachment, later nullified by a grand justice, to a “public trial” conducted by the Chinese Communist Party.
Ko later said that he is on a crusade to change Taiwanese culture, to “fulfill Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) destiny,” which is why he has agreed to be interviewed by reporters every day, because he wants to be a promoter of culture rather than a political leader.”
Chiang was a pioneer of Taiwanese democracy and human rights and was responsible for founding the Taiwan People’s Party (台灣民眾黨), the nation’s first modern political party, and the first Taiwanese Federation of Workers’ Unions. He died from typhoid fever under the former Taiwan Governer-General’s Office watch.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
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