DPP officials said yesterday that a pan-blue demand to create a task force to investigate the assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian (
A law that would see the formation of an investigation task force was proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-People First Party (PFP) alliance during a meeting on Monday with Presidential Office Secretary General Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) to hammer out an agenda for a meeting between Chen and chairmen of KMT and PFP Lien Chan (連戰) and James Soong (宋楚瑜).
Chiou agreed with representatives from the blue camp that he would convey the proposal to Chen for consideration. The proposal, however, has met with fierce opposition from DPP officials, although Chen has so far not commented on it.
"The judicial authority has already embarked on investigating the shooting of President Chen," DPP Secretary General Chang Chun-hsiung (
Chang said the special law would generate many questions such as whether the law would conflict with the constitutional framework.
"This proposal to pass a special law to resolve the disputes definitely won't work," Chang said.
The DPP's central standing committee member, DPP Legislator Ker Chien-ming (
DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (
Gao said that under the current authority of the legislature, lawmakers were able to convene an investigation committee which had the authority to review documents across governmental agencies without a special law.
"We don't expect the legislative investigation task force to rule on the legality of the election result. However, by reviewing related documents across the government, we believe that the legislative task force could help sort out the truth," Gao said.
Meanwhile, following reports that Chang would run in the year-end legislative election and contest the post of speaker of the Legislative Yuan, Chinese-language media reported that Chang said he was not at liberty to comment on the matter.
However, Gao yesterday said if the party could garner half of the legislative seats in the year-end legislative election, it was possible that the party would recommend one of its own officials to contest the speaker position.
An exhibition demonstrating the rejuvenation of the indigenous Kuskus Village in Pingtung County’s Mudan Township (牡丹) opened at the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s conservation station in Taipei on Thursday. Agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) said they have been promoting the use and development of forestry resources to local indigenous residents for eight years to drive regional revitalization. While modern conservation approaches mostly stem from western scientific research, eco-friendly knowledge and skills passed down through generations of indigenous people, who have lived in Taiwan for centuries, could be more suitable for the environment, he said. The agency’s Pingtung branch Director-General Yang Jui-fen (楊瑞芬)
Restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to be included in the Michelin Guide’s review for the first time this year, alongside existing entries from Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, the France-based culinary publication said yesterday. This year’s edition of the Michelin Guide Taiwan is to be unveiled on Aug. 19 in Taipei. In addition to the coveted star ratings, Michelin Taiwan would announce its “Bib Gourmand” selections — a distinction awarded to establishments offering high-quality food at moderate prices — on Aug. 12. This year’s Bib Gourmand list would also feature restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu
Rallies supporting recall efforts targeting Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers as well as a rally organized by the KMT opposing the recall campaigns are to take place in Taipei today. Traffic controls were in place on Taipei City Hall Road starting from 10pm last night, and would be in place on Jinan Road Sec 1 from 8am today, police said. Recall campaign groups in Taipei and New Taipei City advocating the recall of KMT legislators, along with the “Safeguard Taiwan Anti-Communist Alliance” have announced plans for motorcycle parades and public rallies in both cities today. Permission has been granted for campaigners to hold
M1A2T ABRAMS TANKS: Thirty-eight of the 108 armored vehicles were delivered in December last year, with the rest to be delivered between later this year and next year The military is to live stream a round of live-fire training sessions on Thursday featuring its newly delivered M1A2T Abrams tanks, allowing the public to witness the training results firsthand, the Ministry of National Defense said. Based on the ministry’s plan, the live-fire training session, scheduled to take place at an army tank training ground in the Kengzihkou (坑子口) area of Hsinchu County, is to feature the US-made armored vehicles firing their 120mm smoothbore guns at moving and stationary targets, while stationary or in motion. At least one senior government official is expected to preside over the round of training sessions, per
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