The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) legislator-at-large candidates yesterday registered their candidacy for January’s elections at the Central Election Commission (CEC) in Taipei, saying that they would push for digital reforms that would safeguard Taiwan’s democratic liberties.
The DPP has nominated 16 men and 18 women for legislator-at-large seats, said DPP Secretary-General Hsu Li-ming (許立明), who accompanied the candidates to the commission.
The candidates, who wore matching vests, come from all walks of life and “represent the opinions of all kinds of groups in society,” Hsu said.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
The party had asked them to run, as their voices would contribute to efforts to safeguard the next generation, he said.
Jing Chuan Child Safety Foundation chief executive officer Lin Yue-chin (林月琴), one of the candidates, said she has long fought to safeguard the rights of children and adolescents, adding that she would continue to do so in the Legislative Yuan if elected.
Lin pledged to fight for more social welfare funding and listen to the suggestions of civic groups.
Taiwan Parks and Playgrounds for Children by Children president Ariel Chang (張雅琳) said she became a candidate because she hoped the government would begin to consider policies to address the needs of children.
National Taipei University Graduate School of Criminology director Puma Shen (沈伯洋) said that this was the moment for him to “change roles” and “become part of the system,” so he could contribute to efforts that would identify and control false information.
Beijing is trying to influence Taiwanese through cognitive warfare and spread the idea that Taiwan is alone and democracy is useless, Shen said.
“This is what is threatening our democratic freedom,” he said.
Entertainer and TV host Jean Kuo (郭昱晴) said that the stronger Taiwan becomes, the more people are aware of external and internal forces that seek to suppress the nation’s development.
Without the strength to defy such forces, talented Taiwanese performers and creators would be forced to conform to stereotypes, and act out soulless characters and scripts, Kuo said.
At a separate event, reporters asked Hsu about the failed alliance that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) had been working on to combine their presidential candidates into a single ticket.
Most Taiwanese must be worried about whether they could entrust the nation’s future to such parties, Hsu said.
The DPP has solid policy platforms and faith in the democratic system, he said.
People would form their own opinions on whether the vice presidential candidates of the KMT, Broadcasting Corp of China chairman Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康), and the TPP, Legislator and business executive Cynthia Wu (吳欣盈), were better choices than the DPP’s vice presidential candidate, former representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴).
Additional reporting by CNA
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
RSS