Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) yesterday called on President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration to reflect on its actions, after a man set himself on fire allegedly in protest against the government’s rejection of CTi News’ license renewal.
After handing a red envelop for a program host to a security guard, a 70-year-old man surnamed Sun (孫) self immolated on the steps of CTiTV Inc’s headquarters in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖).
Sun was taken to Tri-Service General Hospital, where he was treated for third-degree burns to the face and upper body, but remained conscious, the hospital said.
Chiang wrote on Facebook that he was distressed by the news and the ridicule he saw online.
“The antagonism in society is disheartening,” he said, urging people to pray for Sun.
“We are all working together to keep the government accountable, but no matter how grieved or angry you are, you must take care of yourself,” he said.
Tsai and her administration should do some soul-searching after this incident, Chiang added.
The administration is used to using its majority to force through unreasonable policies, he said, adding that without any room for recourse, some people are being suffocated.
“Antagonism is increasing by the day,” he said. “Because of this, the means of resistance are becoming more extreme.”
Chiang called on those in power to put aside their arrogance and show respect for those with differing opinions.
The authorities must seek common consensus to “stop society from being torn apart,” he added.
Separately, civic groups called for CTi News’ coveted Channel 52 slot to be given to the public Taiwan Broadcasting System (TBS), saying viewers do not need another sensationalized corporate news station.
After only three days, 10 organizations and 366 people have already signed a petition to give the channel to TBS, Taiwan Environmental Protection Union secretary-general Hsu Chu-feng (許主峯) told a news conference at the Legislative Yuan.
The union plans to keep collecting signatures until the matter is decided, he added.
Union chairman Liu Jyh-jian (劉志堅) said that many people are dissatisfied with news channels that prioritize gore, gossip and dashcam video, not to mention the political talk shows that contribute to the polarization of society.
Not all of the channels from 49 to 58 should be run by private corporations, or by operators with clear political biases, he said.
When evaluating applicants, the National Communications Commission should consider professional background, diversity of reporting, ethics and public focus to ensure that everyone is represented, Liu added.
South Korean K-pop girl group Blackpink are to make Kaohsiung the first stop on their Asia tour when they perform at Kaohsiung National Stadium on Oct. 18 and 19, the event organizer said yesterday. The upcoming performances will also make Blackpink the first girl group ever to perform twice at the stadium. It will be the group’s third visit to Taiwan to stage a concert. The last time Blackpink held a concert in the city was in March 2023. Their first concert in Taiwan was on March 3, 2019, at NTSU Arena (Linkou Arena). The group’s 2022-2023 “Born Pink” tour set a
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
The Taiwan High Court yesterday upheld a lower court’s decision that ruled in favor of former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) regarding the legitimacy of her doctoral degree. The issue surrounding Tsai’s academic credentials was raised by former political talk show host Dennis Peng (彭文正) in a Facebook post in June 2019, when Tsai was seeking re-election. Peng has repeatedly accused Tsai of never completing her doctoral dissertation to get a doctoral degree in law from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 1984. He subsequently filed a declaratory action charging that
The Hualien Branch of the High Court today sentenced the main suspect in the 2021 fatal derailment of the Taroko Express to 12 years and six months in jail in the second trial of the suspect for his role in Taiwan’s deadliest train crash. Lee Yi-hsiang (李義祥), the driver of a crane truck that fell onto the tracks and which the the Taiwan Railways Administration's (TRA) train crashed into in an accident that killed 49 people and injured 200, was sentenced to seven years and 10 months in the first trial by the Hualien District Court in 2022. Hoa Van Hao, a
RSS