United Microelectronics Corp founder Robert Tsao (曹興誠) yesterday urged voters to turn out for Saturday’s recall elections, saying that the movement has gained increased support from middle-class voters, academics and people concerned about the economy.
The business tycoon told a news conference in Taipei that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators were destroying the rule of law and taking orders from the Chinese Communist Party.
“Many of the KMT lawmakers [who are targeted in the recall] went to Beijing to meet with [Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Chairman] Wang Huning (王滬寧),” he said. “After returning to Taiwan, they introduced legislation to weaken national security and hobble the central government, creating social conflict by undermining the rule of law and procedural justice.”
Photo: Chen Yi-shan, Taipei Times
“If the recall vote does not succeed, the KMT will continue to destroy the foundations of Taiwanese society: people’s kindness toward their fellow citizens. They are doing this in a systematic way, just like an organized criminal ring, so we must oust all of them,” he added.
The news conference, convened by citizen groups canvassing for recall votes on Saturday and Aug. 23, included prominent media personalities, such as singer and actor Yang Lie (楊烈), film director Lin Cheng-sheng (林正盛), political pundit Hsu Wei-chih (許維智), news anchor Grace Liao (廖筱君) and Taiwanese rapper and YouTuber Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源).
Tsao said there is increasing support for the movement, pointing to a social media post by former PX Mart Co president Hsu Chung-jen (徐重仁).
The latest endorsement from a prominent figure is having an effect on the business community, the middle class and others, he said.
Hsu, also formerly head of President Chain Store Corp, on Sunday wrote that in the past six months, “we have seen a worrying situation in which opposition parties are not working in our nation’s best interest, but using their legislative majority to block procedures and introduce legislation that is contrary to the public’s will.”
“Even more worrying, forces within the opposition parties are keeping close relations with China, while they have shown disdain toward Taiwan’s sovereignty and democratic system,” he added.
“It is each citizen’s responsibility to use the legal recourse in the recall vote, to oust these lawmakers,” Hsu wrote.
Taiwanese want to live in a democratic nation with respect for diverse groups, and protections of freedom and rights, and without being governed by lawmakers who do not respect the rule of law, he said.
“Taiwan is one of the few democratic societies in Asia,” he wrote. “When our democracy is under threat, if people remain silent, then it is up to us to protect our rights, so we must take action [and vote], as it is the most effective form of resistance.”
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