Taiwan New Constitution Foundation founder Koo Kwang-ming (辜寬敏) yesterday said he would quit as Presidential Officer adviser over the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s lack of progress in normalizing Taiwan as a state.
Speaking at a symposium on drafting a new constitution and normalizing Taiwan’s international relations, Koo said President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has failed to make progress on the issues, despite being in office for several years.
“The government does not want to move on this. It only wants to amend the Constitution — not draft a new constitution,” he said, adding that the difference of opinion between himself and the Tsai administration meant he was left with no option but to resign.
Photo: CNA
Drafting a new constitution is the basis for normalizing Taiwan’s relations, and is supported by a majority of the public, he said.
“The public voted for you, but you remain aloof. Is it your intention to fool the public?” he said, addressing Tsai.
The nation’s future is not decided by the president, and the president must respect the wishes of the public, he said.
Koo said he is not opposed to amending the Constitution to lower the voting age to 18, but added that “making Taiwan a normal country” is a more important task.
“The greatest obstacle to the nation’s normalization is the Republic of China [ROC] Constitution,” he added.
“[Democracy pioneer] Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕) sacrificed himself for Taiwanese independence, and today as many as 90 percent of the public support normalizing the nation,” he said. “This means making a new constitution. The Republic of China Constitution is foreign.”
When Taiwan sends aid to other countries it does so using China Airlines planes, which means that it is doing so in China’s name, he said.
“Why does the government not dare to even talk about drafting a new constitution? Is it afraid of upsetting Beijing? It should be more focused on helping Taiwan gain prosperity and stability,” he said.
Koo said that he once told former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe that if Taiwan ever became part of China, Japan would become a second-tier country.
Abe shook his hand and replied that he “100 percent agreed” with him, Koo said.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
PLANNED: The suspect visited the crime scene before the killings, seeking information on how to access the roof, and had extensively researched a 2014 stabbing incident The suspect in a stabbing attack that killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei on Friday had planned the assault and set fires at other locations earlier in the day, law enforcement officials said yesterday. National Police Agency (NPA) Director-General Chang Jung-hsin (張榮興) said the suspect, a 27-year-old man named Chang Wen (張文), began the attacks at 3:40pm, first setting off smoke bombs on a road, damaging cars and motorbikes. Earlier, Chang Wen set fire to a rental room where he was staying on Gongyuan Road in Zhongzheng District (中正), Chang Jung-hsin said. The suspect later threw smoke grenades near two exits
RSS