Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Peter Lin (
"This is my personal apology to Mayor Hu and has nothing to do with the DPP," Lin said. "I wanted to tell him in person that I am sorry."
Lin's apology was accepted by Hu during a press conference in Taichung City yesterday afternoon after Hu gave a speech at the Taichung Convention Center.
PHOTO: LIAO YAO-TUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Lin had gone to the center in the hopes of meeting Hu.
When the lawmaker saw Hu, he approached, grabbed Hu's hands, bowed and was planning to kneel down as well. Hu immediately held him up.
Lin then apologized to Hu in front of a group of reporters.
A week ago Tuesday, Lin, a practicing physician, and 11 other doctors, held a joint news conference and released what they claimed were Hu's medical records, in an attempt to thwart Hu's re-election bid by questioning whether he was healthy enough to serve another term.
Lin said he decided to apologize to Hu because of public pressure.
"People believe that I am a bad doctor, a bad person because I did this. But, to me, it has nothing to do with my profession," Lin said.
When asked where the medical record had come from, Lin said, "Somebody mailed it to me. Since it was mailed, I do not know whom it was from."
Hu said that he was surprised by Lin's visit but approved of Lin's contrition.
"I accept his apology. It takes courage to apologize," Hu said.
"I understood that as a DPP member, Lin was under pressure for the election. But the election is done and Taiwanese people should reunite. To reunite, nothing is unforgivable," he said.
Meanwhile, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said yesterday that it was inappropriate for anyone to publicize another person's medical records, and she expressed regret for the incident.
Lu, who is now the DPP's acting chairwoman, asked that the party's Central Standing Committee meeting next Wednesday discuss whether Lin should face party discipline.
DPP Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (
DPP spokesman Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) said the party told its legislative caucus before the start of the election campaign that it was opposed to dirty campaign tactics -- such as releasing medical records -- but that Lin was apparently unaware of the party's stance.
On Tuesday, Lin's license to practice medicine was suspended for one year by the Medical Doctor's Disciplinary committee of the Taichung City Government. The other doctors who took part in the press conference were ordered to attend medical ethics classes. One had his license suspended for one month, while the rest just received warnings.
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
GET TO SAFETY: Authorities were scrambling to evacuate nearly 700 people in Hualien County to prepare for overflow from a natural dam formed by a previous typhoon Typhoon Podul yesterday intensified and accelerated as it neared Taiwan, with the impact expected to be felt overnight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, while the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration announced that schools and government offices in most areas of southern and eastern Taiwan would be closed today. The affected regions are Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi City, and Yunlin, Chiayi, Pingtung, Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as the outlying Penghu County. As of 10pm last night, the storm was about 370km east-southeast of Taitung County, moving west-northwest at 27kph, CWA data showed. With a radius of 120km, Podul is carrying maximum sustained
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
RSS