The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday pledged to reinstate the special investigation division of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office and strictly oversee the government’s implementation of the death penalty as part of judicial reforms it plans to introduce in the new legislative session, which starts tomorrow.
Incoming KMT legislator-at-large Wu Tsung-hsien (吳宗憲), formerly a prosecutor and New Taipei City legal affairs bureau director, said the caucus would continue to push for the reinstatement of the special investigation division despite opposition from the Democratic Progressive Party and the Taiwan People’s Party.
“My idea is simple: Treat good people better and treat bad people worse. Prosecutors have been so burdened by their workload they do not have time to handle major cases in the same way the nation did when it had the special investigation division,” Wu told a news conference at the KMT’s headquarters in Taipei.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
The KMT caucus would also propose that a cap on prison sentences be extended from 15 years to 25 years, and that additional jail time for specific aggravated offenses be raised from 20 years to 30 years, he said.
The government should give judges the option to mete out life sentences without parole, and establish stricter criteria to scrutinize parole applications from inmates or requests to serve their sentences in minimum-security prisons, he said.
Wu said that he would closely monitor the Ministry of Justice’s implementation of death penalties.
The ministry has not enforced the Regulations for Executing the Death Penalty (死刑執行規則) for a long time, which is a clear case of the executive branch intervening in the judicial branch, he said.
The KMT caucus would address rising incidents of fraud, and gun and drug trafficking in the draft technology investigation act (科技偵查法) and seek separate sentences for manufacturing, transporting and selling drugs, he said.
The caucus would also propose amendments to the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act (文化資產保存法), Culture and the Arts Reward and Promotion Act (文化藝術獎助及促進條例), Development of the Cultural and Creative Industries Act (文化創意產業發展法) and the Cultural Fundamental Act (文化基本法) to better preserve cultural assets, increase funding for cultural development and relax regulations on corporate sponsorships in cultural and creative industries, incoming KMT legislator-at-large Lin Chien-chi (林倩綺) said.
The caucus previously proposed introducing absentee ballots, amendments to the Budget Act (預算法) and postponing the retirement of the Jinshan, Guosheng and Ma-anshan nuclear power plants.
Meanwhile, the KMT yesterday elected legislator-elect Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) as its new caucus whip and Legislator Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) as the caucus’ new secretary-general.
Fu’s first task as the caucus whip is to ensure that incoming KMT legislator-at-large Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) would be elected legislative speaker and deputy speaker respectively at the start of the new legislative session.
Legislators who skip the vote, vote for other candidates or vote incorrectly would be subject to the strictest party discipline, Fu said.
“All KMT legislators are united and have clearly indicated that they would support Han and Chiang,” he said.
“All legislators must be present and cast their votes. Those who fail to do so would receive the strictest discipline from the party,” he added.
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
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
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
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