The family and friends of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday denied a media report saying he had instructed his followers, known as the One Side, One Country Alliance (OSOCA, 一邊一國連線), to set up a new political party.
The Chinese-language China Times yesterday reported that Chen, who is serving an 18-and-a-half year prison sentence for corruption and is currently in hospital being treated for various ailments, told visiting friends on Monday that he was not happy with the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) efforts to get him medical parole and that “the time is ripe” for establishing a party.
Chen’s office confirmed the Monday meeting between Chen and Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Hsu Chung-hsin (許忠信) and Taipei City Councilor Chiang Chih-ming (江志銘) in a press release yesterday, but said Chen did not mention establishing a party during their conversation.
Chen’s wife, Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), who visited the former president at Taipei Veterans General Hospital yesterday, also denied the report, adding that Chen appreciated the DPP’s assistance.
Creating party division and tensions between pan-green parties to seek medical parole for her husband was the last thing on her mind, Wu said.
“That would benefit the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and if anyone tried to do that, it would be out of ill intentions,” she said.
Chen’s son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), accused the newspaper of exploiting his father, who is recovering from surgery to cure sleep apnea, and requires further treatment for depression and vascular dementia.
“My father is too weak to talk about politics right now,” he said.
Chen Chih-chung said his father had in June set four pre-conditions for establishing a new party — strong public support, consensus within the faction, integration of pro-Taiwan political forces and good timing.
DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) shunned media inquiries after visiting the former president and directed questions about the rumor to DPP Legislator Gao Gyh-peng (高志鵬), who is an OSOCA member.
Gao said Chen Shui-bian had never mentioned establishing a party or encouraged anyone to do so, but “he did say he hoped that the OSOCA could compete with the TSU in the elections in 2014.”
“He reiterated his loyalty to the DPP and he would never do anything to hurt the party. The media report is absolutely groundless,” Gao said.
Chiang said that what Chen Shui-bian wanted was for the association to expand its outreach and collaborate with as many grassroots civic groups as possible to do well in local council elections.
DPP legislators who are also members of the OSOCA, including Mark Chen (陳唐山), Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) and Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋), said they were neither aware nor knew anything about such a plan.
Unlike other major groupings within the DPP, the OSOCA is a relatively loose association that includes seven legislators and 34 city councilors in the five special municipalities.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old