The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation yesterday announced that it would retract its proposed development plan to set up a logistics center and workshops for disaster relief in a geologically sensitive protected area in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖), while saying that it would make public all records about donations by its followers and how the money is spent.
Tzu Chi deputy chief executive Wang Tuan-cheng (王端正) told a news conference in Hualien that the foundation is “deeply unnerved” by the controversy sparked by the development plan and would retract its proposal to rezone a 4.4 hectare plot until society could reach a consensus on the issue.
Environmentalists say that the proposed site is located on a former pond which the foundation illegally reclaimed, increasing the chances of flooding in nearby farmland.
Photo: CNA
In addition, potential dip slopes are present in the area, which could lead to landslides, they say.
To promote environmental protection, Tzu Chi would cooperate with the Taipei City Government and seek advice on how to care for the protected area, Wang said.
Furthermore, Tzu Chi would restructure itself by inviting reputable individuals to serve as members of its board of directors to monitor and improve the foundation’s operations, he said.
Foundation deputy chief executive Lin Pi-yu (林碧玉) said Tzu Chi would make information about donations available online from Friday, while expenditure would be made public starting from Wednesday next week.
Lin made the announcement after media personalities Clara Chou (周玉蔻) and Jimmy Wang (汪潔民) last week accused Tzu Chi of pocketing donations, including a NT$1.5 billion (US$47.1 million) sum from its emergency reserve to purchase real estate.
Stock analyst Huang Shih-tsung (黃世聰) alleged that the foundation misappropriated funds it acquired for disaster relief to purchase bonds and stock.
Environmental activists criticized Tzu Chi’s announcement.
Treasure Our Land, Taiwan secretary-general Lin Tzu-lin (林子淩) said Tzu Chi is trying to buy time to gather the opinions of those who are in favor of the project and that it still intends to develop the protected area.
“What is the point in vowing to publish its accounts when there is so much confusion about its past dealings? Besides, it failed to respond to accusations it bought stock using donations,” Lin said.
In a press release, Taipei Deputy Mayor Charles Lin (林欽榮) expressed his thanks to Tzu Chi for proactively resolving years of controversy surrounding the development proposal.
He said the city government would send the withdrawal documents to the Taipei Urban Planning Commission as soon as they were received, expressing his hope that the land could become part of a gradual restoration of the ecology of Dahu (大湖).
Additional reporting by Abraham Gerber
Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛) has died of pneumonia at the age of 48 while on a trip to Japan, where she contracted influenza during the Lunar New Year holiday, her sister confirmed today through an agent. "Our whole family came to Japan for a trip, and my dearest and most kindhearted sister Barbie Hsu died of influenza-induced pneumonia and unfortunately left us," Hsu's sister and talk show hostess Dee Hsu (徐熙娣) said. "I was grateful to be her sister in this life and that we got to care for and spend time with each other. I will always be grateful to
REMINDER: Of the 6.78 million doses of flu vaccine Taiwan purchased for this flu season, about 200,000 are still available, an official said, following Big S’ death As news broke of the death of Taiwanese actress and singer Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛), also known as Big S (大S), from severe flu complications, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and doctors yesterday urged people at high risk to get vaccinated and be alert to signs of severe illness. Hsu’s family yesterday confirmed that the actress died on a family holiday in Japan due to pneumonia during the Lunar New Year holiday. CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) told an impromptu news conference that hospital visits for flu-like illnesses from Jan. 19 to Jan. 25 reached 162,352 — the highest
COMBINING FORCES: The 66th Marine Brigade would support the 202nd Military Police Command in its defense of Taipei against ‘decapitation strikes,’ a source said The Marine Corps has deployed more than 100 soldiers and officers of the 66th Marine Brigade to Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) as part of an effort to bolster defenses around the capital, a source with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. Two weeks ago, a military source said that the Ministry of National Defense ordered the Marine Corps to increase soldier deployments in the Taipei area. The 66th Marine Brigade has been tasked with protecting key areas in Taipei, with the 202nd Military Police Command also continuing to defend the capital. That came after a 2017 decision by the ministry to station
PETITIONS: A Democratic Progressive Party official quoted President William Lai as saying that civil society groups are organizing the recall drives at the grassroots level Some civil society groups yesterday announced that they have collected enough signatures to pass the first-stage threshold to initiate a recall vote against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators in 18 constituencies nationwide, saying that they would submit the signatures to the Central Election Commission (CEC) today. They also said that they expected to pass the threshold in eight more constituencies in the coming days, meaning the number of KMT legislators facing a recall vote could reach 26. The groups set up stations to collect signatures at local marketplaces and busy commercial districts. The legislators their petition drives target include Fu
RSS