The New Power Party (NPP) yesterday released its preliminary list of legislator-at-large nominees for the Jan. 11 legislative elections.
The list includes NPP Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), former party chairman Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) and Claire Wang (王婉諭), mother of the girl known as “Little Light Bulb” (小燈泡) who was murdered in Taipei in 2016.
At the top of the list is environmentalist Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華), followed by Chiu, Wang, Huang and Taipei City Government policy adviser Ben Jai (翟本喬).
They are followed by veterinarian Kuan Hsin-ling (關心羚), former SinoPac Securities chief financial officer Melody Wang (王幗英), Taiwan People News founder Chen Yung-hsing (陳永興), NPP Secretary-General Wu Pei-yun (吳佩芸), Taiwan Institute of Economic Research associate research fellow Bai Ching-feng (白卿芬), award-winning coffee cupper Chao Yun-ching (趙芸菁) and neurologist Chan Chin-chun (詹智鈞).
The order was determined by the party’s decisionmaking committee in a meeting yesterday based on candidates proposed by a nomination panel, NPP spokesman Chen Chih-ming (陳志明) said.
The candidates were selected based on their knowledge and experience in variety of policy areas and how they can help push political reforms, he said, adding that gender balance was also taken into consideration.
Chen Jiau-hua was placed at the top of the list because she was recommended by multiple party members, including NPP Chairman Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明), Chen Chih-ming said.
“She is someone most eco-conscious people would be familiar with,” Chen Chih-ming said. “We hope to show members of the public that we care about these [environmental] issues.”
Wang — who became a judicial reform advocate after her four-year-old daughter’s murder — could help raise awareness on issues related to the judicial system, education and safety, he said.
The candidates would be formally nominated if the majority of party members vote to second the list in an online vote, Chen Chih-ming said.
Voting is to begin at noon today and last for three days, he said.
Hsu expects the party to win at least four legislator-at-large seats, he said.
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on