One of the key organizers of the campaign to oust the president for alleged graft resigned yesterday in disgrace after it emerged that her political party kicked her out because she was convicted on bribery charges 12 years ago.
Wang Li-ping (
Wang said that she would continue to be associated with the anti-corruption campaign as a volunteer.
Wang was convicted of bribery during the Yunlin County Council speaker election in 1994. She received a seven-month jail sentence, and a two-year suspended sentence.
She also came under fire yesterday for getting caught leaving the "around-the-clock sit-in" protest to go to a sauna.
Wang confirmed that she did go to a sauna, saying that she was tired at the time and needed a place to rest.
The DPP recently questioned Wang's credibility in taking part in the anti-corruption campaign, and decided to revoke her membership Friday.
The anti-President Chen Shui-bian (
Meanwhile, other Shih campaign backers were also coming under fire.
DPP Legislator Wang Shih-cheng (王世堅) questioned the motives of anti-Chen "consultant" Hsu Po-yun (許博允), who traveled to China via Macau three days ago.
Wang Shih-cheng accused Hsu of reporting to Chinese authorities on the progress of the anti-Chen campaign on behalf of Shih, then receiving further instructions.
The anti-Chen campaign's news coordinator, Chang Fu-chung (張富忠), said Wang Shih-cheng's charges were pure fantasy, and that the headquarters was under no obligation to clarify details of Hsu's trip.
Hsu is reportedly in Xinjiang attending an international "Asian culture coalition" conference.
When contacted by reporters, Hsu condemned Wang Shih-cheng's charges. He said he would return to Taiwan this Thursday or Friday to clarify the situation, and that he had not ruled out suing Wang Shih-cheng.
Meanwhile, the anti-Chen campaign announced that it will move its protest site to Jinan Road on the east side of the Legislative Yuan after its permit to occupy Ketagalan Boulevard expires at midnight on Wednesday.
The anti-Chen camp also outlined the route it planned to take for a "siege" on Sept. 30, which it hopes will attract more protesters than the Sept. 15 "siege."
Luo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾), a spokeswoman for the camp, said the rally will begin at Jinan Road at 3pm, and march along Zhongshan S Road, Nanjing E Road, Jianguo S Road and Renai Road.
The rally is scheduled to return to Jinan Road at midnight.
In addition to demanding the resignation of the president, the parade is also calling for ethnic reconciliation following violence between pro-Chen and anti-Chen protesters in several demonstrations around the nation.
"The goal of the campaign is to fight against corruption, but the focus of the protest has been shifted to ethnic confrontation. Therefore we want this parade to bring reconciliation to all ethnic groups," she said yesterday.
The rally, entitled the "seven-color peace parade," will also aim to move away from the focus on the color red -- with which the camp has become closely associated in recent weeks -- and embrace the colors of the rainbow.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
RSS