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.”
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements 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,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS