The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) failed to gain control of farmers’ associations in elections on Sunday, meaning former Yunlin County commissioner Chang Jung-wei’s family (張榮味) is still in control of the organizations.
Elections were held at farmers’ associations across the nation to elect 11,466 association representatives and 4,662 association officials, with pan-blue candidates securing the majority of seats.
The nation has 286 farmers’ associations, and 942,960 association members were eligible to vote in the elections, which had a voter turnout of 56 percent, the Council of Agriculture said.
Since it came to power, the DPP has been working to gain more influence in the farmers’ association system, with DPP legislators announcing the goal of obtaining one-third of seats in association elections.
However, the elections saw the renewal of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) control over the majority of the associations.
All cities and counties have a pan-blue leadership, except Taipei and Taitung County, where there is no clear political affiliation, and Chiayi County, where the DPP is in control, according to reports.
The DPP’s effort to extend its influence failed completely in Yunlin County, the nation’s most significant agricultural county.
The DPP aimed to seek more than half of the seats in five of the county’s 20 farmers’ associations in a bid to lessen the control of the Chang family, but the DPP failed to obtain a majority in any of the associations, whereas all the candidates endorsed by the Chang family won.
DPP Legislator Su Chih-feng (蘇治芬) said the election result shows that farmers’ associations are still closely tied to local factions, while farmers’ voluntary participation in elections is still lacking.
“Farmers’ associations are the backbone of agricultural production, but local factions have always dominated association elections,” Su said. “There is a long way to go for Taiwan’s farmers to be freed [from factionist influence].”
Su also said the elections were rigged, citing alleged vote-buying in six Yunlin County townships, with candidates reportedly buying votes at NT$1,000 to NT$2,000 per vote.
KMT Legislator Chang Li-shan (張麗善) — who is Chang Jung-wei’s sister — said farmers were the biggest winners of the elections, as they re-elected the “old management team” that was highly trusted by farmers.
The DPP could not sever the connection between farmers and farmers’ associations even with its executive power, as the associations honestly served their members, Chang Li-shan said.
National Farmers’ Association Secretary-General Chang Yung-cheng (張永成) — who is Chang Li-shan’s husband — said the elections were a vote of confidence in the current associations’ leadership and the DPP’s attempt to overturn the elections failed because farmers evaluated candidates on their past performances instead of their political affiliations.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
RSS