By 6pm on Jan. 2, newly elected legislator Yen Ching-piao's (
He had been detained for more than 300 days for corruption, attempted murder and firearms charges before he was finally sentenced to 11 years and released on NT$5 million bail on Jan. 2 pending an appeal.
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
Yen, an independent legislator-elect from Taichung County, is the first politician in Taiwan to run a political campaign from behind bars and win.
For Yen, his supporters and his family, who ran the legislative campaign for him, his release is a gift from the goddess Matsu.
Following a visit to his ill mother, Yen led his family to the Chen Lan Temple (
Yen will join other legislators-elect and take the oath of office in the Legislative Yuan on Feb. 1.
Political analysts and Yen's family said that Yen's triumph in the Dec. 1 election was thanks to Yen's efforts in his constituency and his innocent image, despite the criminal charges.
"Yen has done a lot of work in his constituency in Shalu and Lungching," said Wang Yeh-li (王業立), a political scientist at Taichung's Tunghai University. "Although he is a controversial figure, we expected that he would receive a lot of votes even before the result was announced."
Yen's son, Yen Kuan-heng (
"President Chen Shui-bian (
"President Chen's remark enhanced the impression that my father was being persecuted, which really helped us in the election."
Yen Kuan-heng filled out his father's registration papers and campaigned on his behalf while Yen's case wound its way through the legal system during the campaign.
"I don't understand why my father is adored by his supporters, especially as he is a controversial figure," Yen said. "But I have seen something specific about him -- he can make friends with individuals from all kinds of backgrounds."
However, DPP legislator Chiu Tai-san (
"The Dec. 1 election was a crucial battle for the KMT's black faction," Chiu said. "Since Yen was the only candidate who could coordinate all the faction's supporters, the faction tried its best to help Yen."
Yen, who married at 17, was nicknamed "Wintermelon Piao" by his grandfather for his short and stout figure.
After a government crackdown on organized crime in 1986, Yen spent three-and-a-half years in Green Island's maximum-security prison. His participation in local politics began soon after his release.
As a member of the KMT's black faction in Taichung County, Yen worked as a borough warden (
Yen was elected chairman of the board of the Chen Lan Temple in Taichung County in January 1999.
His attempts to lead Matsu followers on a pilgrimage to China via Kinmen to worship the goddess Matsu in June 2000 made him more popular than ever.
Yen engaged in various bus-inesses, including gravel plants, cement factories and restaurants and became associated with gangsters and inter-faction rivalry.
Yen's secretary, Liu Shu-mei (
"Many of my friends have asked me why I want to work for a gangster, but he is really not the kind of person the media have portrayed," Liu said.
"I became involved when he decided which candidate to support in the presidential election, and his decision to support James Soong (
Liu said the KMT tried very hard to attract Yen's support for its candidates, but Yen finally turned down the KMT's request because of his cooperation with James Soong in the Taiwan Provincial Government.
"He is not well-educated, but he is an accommodating individual," Liu said. "He always tries his best to fight for the public interest. Most of those who criticized him have no idea about him at all."
The DPP's Chiu, however, holds a different view.
"He does a lot for his constituency, but what a legislator needs to do is not this kind of thing," Chiu said.
"He is just not professional enough for policymaking and debate, which are what legislators really need to do."
The Taiwanese passport ranked 33rd in a global listing of passports by convenience this month, rising three places from last month’s ranking, but matching its position in January last year. The Henley Passport Index, an international ranking of passports by the number of designations its holder can travel to without a visa, showed that the Taiwan passport enables holders to travel to 139 countries and territories without a visa. Singapore’s passport was ranked the most powerful with visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227, according to the index published on Tuesday by UK-based migration investment consultancy firm Henley and Partners. Japan’s and
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: An official said that Guan Guan’s comments had gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC China-born media influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China content that threatens national security, the National Immigration Agency said yesterday. Guan Guan has said many controversial things in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” while expressing hope for expedited “reunification.” The agency received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification last year. After investigating, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and account for her actions. Guan Guan appeared as required,
Japan and the Philippines yesterday signed a defense pact that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a survival-threatening situation for Japan, triggering a military response. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East and South China
A strong cold air mass is expected to arrive tonight, bringing a change in weather and a drop in temperature, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The coldest time would be early on Thursday morning, with temperatures in some areas dipping as low as 8°C, it said. Daytime highs yesterday were 22°C to 24°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and about 25°C to 28°C in the central and southern regions, it said. However, nighttime lows would dip to about 15°C to 16°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as the northeast, and 17°C to 19°C elsewhere, it said. Tropical Storm Nokaen, currently
RSS