Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟), the president of the Ketagalan Academy, a talent-training institute, urged opposition politicians to stop trying to discredit the academy, saying he welcomed opposition leaders to follow the DPP's example by establishing such an institution with leftover campaign funds.
Chen Shih-meng said the academy was founded with campaign funding left over from President Chen Shui-bian's (
He said it was pointless for the opposition parties to accuse government officials of violating administrative neutrality by joining the program because the institution is not affiliated with the DPP.
"Academy officials are entitled to enroll people from any social group in classes," he said.
Chen Shih-meng made the comments yesterday after he announced that the academy is going to introduce a series of courses on Aborigines.
Launched on March 29, the academy is a brainchild of President Chen and is expected to nurture politically adept officials for roles in the DPP administration. The students and lecturers are predominantly DPP members, or those who are friendly with the party.
Opposition politicians have questioned the motives behind the founding of the school, saying it simply provides an opportunity for those who are seeking to foster ties with the DPP.
The first session is focusing on national leadership and development strategies.
In May the academy will launch a study of Aboriginal research. It will also introduce a youth camp in the summer.
Academy officials said they welcome governmental administrators in charge of Aboriginal affairs to join the program to have a deeper understanding of the ethnic group and to forge a new partnership between the nation and Aborigines.
Sun Ta-chuan (
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), a Taiwanese businessman and deputy convener of the nation’s National Climate Change Committee, said yesterday that “electrical power is national power” and nuclear energy is “very important to Taiwan.” Tung made the remarks, suggesting that his views do not align with the country’s current official policy of phasing out nuclear energy, at a forum organized by the Taiwan People’s Party titled “Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan’s AI Industry and Energy Policy.” “Taiwan is currently pursuing industries with high added- value and is developing vigorously, and this all requires electricity,” said the chairman
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first