Staff reporter
The Ministry of Justice said yesterday it was considering whether or not a county commissioner's decision to reward villages that have a high turnout in the March 22 presidential election constitutes vote-buying.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Miaoli County Commissioner Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻) recently said that any village that has more than a 75 percent turnout for the presidential vote would be rewarded with a NT$1 million (US$32,600) construction fund.
The KMT has traditionally enjoyed good support in the county.
"Isn't this a form of vote buying?" Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wong Chin-chu (翁金珠) asked ministry officials during a meeting of the Judiciary Committee at the legislature yesterday.
Wong said Liu may have violated the law or government regulations because he made the offer while also serving as a chief campaigner for KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (
Deputy Justice Minister Kuo Lin-yung (郭林勇) said that it was legal for a local official to encourage residents to turn out and vote, but if Liu suggested voting for a certain candidate he would have violated the law.
Kuo said the ministry would investigate Liu's policy and his remarks before deciding whether or not it was legal.
He said a conclusion would be reached within three days.
KMT Legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) said the ministry should clear the matter up as soon as possible because Taipei County and Taichung County were considering following Miaoli County's lead.
Hsieh said that if Liu were found to have violated the law or election regulations, then Premier Chang Chun-hsiung's (張俊雄) decision that toll stations on freeways should not collect fees on election day should also be investigated.
Chang said that providing toll-free services on freeways on election day would persuade more people to travel home to cast their ballot.
Kuo said Chang's policy was legal because it does not favor either candidate.
Greenpeace yesterday said that it is to appeal a decision last month by the Taipei High Administrative Court to dismiss its 2021 lawsuit against the Ministry of Economic Affairs over “loose” regulations governing major corporate electricity consumers. The climate-related lawsuit — the first of its kind in Taiwan — sought to require the government to enforce higher green energy thresholds on major corporations to reduce emissions in light of climate change and an uptick in extreme weather. The suit, filed by Greenpeace East Asia, the Environmental Jurists Association and four individual plaintiffs, was dismissed on May 8 following four years of litigation. The
STAY AWAY: An official said people should avoid disturbing snakes, as most do not actively attack humans, but would react defensively if threatened Taitung County authorities yesterday urged the public to stay vigilant and avoid disturbing snakes in the wild, following five reported snakebite cases in the county so far this year. Taitung County Fire Department secretary Lin Chien-cheng (林建誠) said two of the cases were in Donghe Township (東河) and involved the Taiwan habus, one person was bit by a Chinese pit viper near the South Link Railway and the remaining two were caused by unidentified snakes. He advised residents near fields to be cautious of snakes hiding in shady indoor areas, especially when entering or leaving their homes at night. In case of a
A tropical disturbance off the southeastern coast of the Philippines might become the first typhoon of the western Pacific typhoon season, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The system lacks a visible center and how it would develop is only likely to become clear on Sunday or Monday, the CWA said, adding that it was not yet possible to forecast the potential typhoon's effect on Taiwan. The American Meteorological Society defines a tropical disturbance as a system made up of showers and thunderstorms that lasts for at least 24 hours and does not have closed wind circulation.
DIPLOMACY: It is Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo’s first visit to Taiwan since he took office last year, while Eswatini’s foreign minister is also paying a visit A delegation led by Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo arrived in Taiwan yesterday afternoon and is to visit President William Lai (賴清德) today. The delegation arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 4:55pm, and was greeted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). It is Arevalo’s first trip to Taiwan since he took office last year, and following the visit, he is to travel to Japan to celebrate the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Arevalo said at the airport that he is very glad to make the visit to Taiwan, adding that he brings an important message of responsibility
RSS