Violent crime in Taipei has dropped 50 percent this year, Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said at a ceremony yesterday to celebrate the appointments of eight police precinct chiefs.
But critics say that the mayor's numbers simply don't add up.
There has "been a massive improvement in law and order in Taipei this year," Ma said.
According to government statistics, the mayor said, there were 499 violent crimes through July this year, down from 810 during the same period last year.
Furthermore, Ma said, "More than 60 percent of people in Taipei are satisfied with social order, according to a recent poll in June."
But DPP City Councilor Lo Tsung-sheng (
"Three serious shootings occurred in August alone. If the poll was conducted now, I am sure that the public perception of the police would be worse," he said.
Lee Ching-yuan (李慶元), New Party councilor, agreed. "Even if we don't count those people who don't have an opinion, more than 20 percent of the people are dissatisfied with the current situation," Lee said.
"Ma should listen to the real voice of the public and not just look at the statistics," Lee said.
Lo said that Ma's use of the crime numbers discounts the seriousness of theft and said that theft was a fundamental concern for Taipei residents.
"Violent crimes only account for a small proportion of the total number of crimes committed," Lo said.
"What annoys people most is that theft is still rampant," Lo added.
The total number of crimes reported last year was 48,819, of which roughly 31,000 were thefts.
Through July of this year, there have been 18,429 reports of theft, slightly higher than the 17,670 reports during the same period last year.
"[Instances of] police shelving cases are not uncommon and some victims don't report their cases because they feel the police are incapable of solving crimes of theft," Lee said. "The actual number of cases is probably much higher."
Yesterday's ceremony was held to mark the first personnel shift under the new director of the Taipei City police, Wang Cho-chun (
The former director, Wang Chin-wang (
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
SECURITY CONCERNS: An FBI agent said it was surprising that the shooter, whose motive remains unknown, was able to open fire before the Secret Service killed him On the heels of an apparent attempt to kill him, former US president Donald Trump yesterday called for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide recoiled from the shooting that left him injured, but “fine,” and the shooter and a rally-goer dead. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting His aides said he was in “great spirits” and doing well. “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place,” he