Media and show business personalities yesterday joined other protesters in front of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Special Investigation Division (SID) to demand the resignation of Prosecutor-General Huang Shih-ming (黃世銘), who had allegedly approved the use of illegal wiretaps.
Huang reportedly met with President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 to discuss the alleged improper lobbying by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) of former minister of justice Tseng Yung-fu (曾勇夫), High Prosecutors’ Office Head Prosecutor Chen Shou-huang (陳守煌) and High Prosecutors’ Office prosecutor Lin Shiow-tao (林秀濤) on behalf of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘).
Though an investigation into Wang’s actions had been closed without charges being filed and only administrative penalties have been suggested for him, the public and the DPP had been angered at what they called the “illegal grounds” of the division’s wiretapping of the phone lines of Wang, Ker and others.
Photo: CNA
Former TVBS vice president Ge Shu-ren (葛樹人) and actress Kuo Mei-chu (郭美珠) took part in the protest, along with the 929 protest event spokesperson Ryan Wu (吳睿穎) and others dressed in black — an allusion to police covert activities — to protest Huang’s allegations against Ker.
The SID initially responded to the protest by pulling down the metal doors that block off the hallway to its office, but after Kuo took off her shoes and started using them to hammer the door — an act that encouraged other protestors to try to manually raise the doors — the SID completely shut the door, while police officers formed a wall and started to push the protesters back.
Ge then calmed tensions by urging the protesters not to become irate over the matter and led the crowd in chanting slogans.
Ge said that he was against using personal influence for lobbying, but the crux of the issue lay not with Wang’s lobbying for Ker, but rather how the SIC handled its investigation.
The public cannot accept the division’s blatant wiretapping and infringement of rights, Ge said.
Ge also said that an anti-Ma protest scheduled for tomorrow would include a “wall” on which participants could vent their frustration.
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