A Cabinet official yesterday admitted it was “improper” for a deputy minister to publicly endorse Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Sinbei mayoral candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) during a government-run cultural festival on the weekend.
Council for Hakka Affairs Deputy Minister Liu Tung-lung (劉東隆) was on government business and used his official title when he made the announcement at this year’s Taipei County Hakka Culture Festival on Sunday, Council for Hakka Affairs Minister Huang Yu-chen (黃玉振) said.
“It’s true that it was not appropriate [for him] to stump for any particular candidate on stage,” Huang told the legislature.
PHOTO: HE YU-HUA, TAIPEI TIMES
“He also feels this was improper and … we are a bit sorry,” Huang said, declining to make a full apology.
Liu has been advised to watch his words more carefully in future, he said.
An ardent Chu supporter, the Council for Hakka Affairs deputy minister has been seen at election events in support of the mayoral candidate. Last month, he appeared with Public Construction Commission Minister Fan Liang-shiow (范良銹) at a weekend election event for Hakka voters.
Hakka should give Chu their full support, he reportedly said at the Oct. 17 event.
Chu, he said, would help the development of Hakka issues in Sinbei City, the name Taipei County will be known by after it is renamed next month.
During Sunday’s event, which drew thousands, Liu said that Chu was a candidate that “Hakka could trust.”
He also praised the candidate’s record in government, saying he had advanced Hakka issues during his eight years as a Taoyuan County commissioner.
Defending his actions against claims that he violated rules on government neutrality at the Taipei County Government-run event, Liu said his remarks were not a problem because as an appointed official he had “an obligation to endorse the ruling party’s policies and candidates.”
At separate election event yesterday, Chu told reporters it was common for appointed officials to stump for political candidates during their time off, such as during holidays and weekends.
“Whether it’s the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] or the KMT, it is all the same,” he said.
However, he also said he would respect the rigorous standards placed by the public on political figures.
Sunday’s incident was the latest in a string of accusations that officials and government agencies have violated rules on political neutrality when stumping for Chu’s campaign.
The Taipei Times on Oct. 12 reported that a media statement in support of the candidate signed by the KMT county caucus and sent out by Chu’s campaign team was written by the Taoyuan County Government. Early last month, his opponent, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), raised questions after Chu asked sitting Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) to act as his campaign chairman.
Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦), a spokesperson for Tsai’s campaign, said yesterday that Sunday’s incident was another “flagrant violation” of government neutrality rules.
Under Article 7 of the Civil Service Administrative Neutrality Act (公務人員行政中立法), government officials are prohibited from engaging in political content during work hours or during other events related to their official role. Article 9 also prohibits civil servants from endorsing political candidates publicly.
“[Liu’s] lack of understanding of the relevant laws make him an unqualified government official,” Cheng said. “Based on his remarks, it’s clear that he still doesn’t understand where he went wrong.”
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
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
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
RSS