Prosecutors have begun investigating an incident on Monday in which Hsinchu Mayor Lin Junq-tzer (林政則) blocked three patients suffering from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) from being trans-ferred to the Hsinchu General Hospital, the district's prosecutors' office said yesterday.
"Prosecutors will review video tapes shot at the scene by the police and decide whether Lin should be indicted for his behavior," a press release said.
If indicted for interfering with public functions, Lin could face a maximum of seven years in jail.
At 4:10pm on Monday, Lin led a team of Hsinchu City councilors and borough wardens to the Hsinchu Hospital, which is under the authority of the Department of Health (DOH), where they prevented three ambulances carrying SARS patients from entering. Lin also enlisted the help of the Hsinchu City Police Department.
From Sunday, the Taipei City Government has been transferring 105 SARS patients from Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital to other hospitals to "reduce the concerns of those quarantined inside the hospital," according to DOH Deputy Director Lee Lung-teng (
As of press time yesterday, 48 had been transferred to three other hospitals controlled by the DOH.
Lin complained outside Hsinchu Hospital that he was not officially informed that SARS patients were going to be transferred there. He said he wanted to keep Hsinchu a SARS-free area.
"No matter what, the Hsinchu Hospital is definitely not an ideal place to hospitalize SARS patients," he said.
"Look around here, the hospital is surrounded by schools and a residential area with a large population. Who will take the responsibility if SARS spreads in this community?" he said.
The stand-off ended at 11pm on Monday with the three patients entering the hospital after Lin accepted Lee's promise that officials would do whatever it took to prevent the spread of SARS in the area.
During a regular Cabinet meeting yesterday morning, Cabinet Spokesman Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said Lin's behavior was unacceptable.
"A public servant has no right to refuse help to people," he said.
But the Cabinet would not comment further while prosecutors were investigating, he said.
The mayor defended himself after the meeting, saying "it was merely a misunderstanding."
But three groups based in the city -- the Hsinchu Public Nuisance Prevention Association, the Hsinchu Culture Association and the Hsinchu Foundation -- along with TSU City Councillor Lee Yan-hui (
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
IMPORTANT BACKER: China seeks to expel US influence from the Indo-Pacific region and supplant Washington as the global leader, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said China is preparing for war to seize Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said in Washington on Friday, warning that Taiwan’s fall would trigger a regional “domino effect” endangering US security. In a speech titled “Maintaining the Peaceful and Stable Status Quo Across the Taiwan Strait is in Line with the Shared Interests of Taiwan and the United States,” Chiu said Taiwan’s strategic importance is “closely tied” to US interests. Geopolitically, Taiwan sits in a “core position” in the first island chain — an arc stretching from Japan, through Taiwan and the Philippines, to Borneo, which is shared by
RSS