Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Wednesday approved Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung’s (林佳龍) resignation after informing President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of his decision, the Executive Yuan said yesterday.
Lin offered his resignation one day after the derailment of a Taroko Express train in Hualien County on April 2, which killed 49 people and injured 244, Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said, adding that Lin would leave office on Tuesday next week.
Tsai and Su considered it a top priority to resume railway service after the derailment, leading to the delayed acceptance of Lin’s resignation, Lo said.
Photo: CNA
After restoration work at the site of the crash was concluded, Lin on Tuesday met with Su, telling him that he was determined to take full political responsibility for the incident, Lo said, adding that Su and Tsai respected Lin’s decision.
“The resignation was approved on Wednesday and is to take effect on Tuesday next week,” he said.
“We are still interviewing potential candidates for the post and will announce when a new transportation minister is found,” Lo said.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
The meeting of Lin and Su lasted about one hour, and Lin reported what he had done since the derailment, from helping and visiting families of the deceased to restoring railway traffic, Lo said.
Su and Lin agreed that reform of the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) is necessary, and should address safety and labor issues, Lo said, adding that in their view, reform of the agency should be swift and on a large scale.
“The premier has been briefed about several feasible solutions to enhance the safety of the TRA and reduce the agency’s financial losses,” Lo said. “We are not planning to privatize the agency, but we hope that it could operate efficiently and safely through a corporate management.”
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Lin thanked Su for approving his resignation.
Lin also thanked the public for their concerns over the TRA.
“Before I leave, I will make sure that normal and safe operation will be resumed in Hualien, and that the ministry will have implemented a mechanism to coordinate with and care for victims’ families,” Lin said.
Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材), Keelung Mayor Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) and Pingtung County Commissioner Pan Men-an (潘孟安) are among potential candidates to succeed Lin, local media reported.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you don’t manage your time well, or your own emotions, or your health, then I am telling every one of you — put a quick end to ‘you,’ because the world has no need for ‘you.’” The comments have sparked significant controversy online, and Chen through an open
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
RSS