The pan-blue camp yesterday demanded an apology from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for accusing Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
Several pan-blue legislators yesterday accused the DPP of mudslinging. They said DPP Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (
KMT Legislator Huang Chao-shun (
They also expressed their anger over Hsiao making accusations based only on a letter whose writer was "a fraud" and called for an apology from the green camp.
Huang said that Lin was a fraud who might have been involved in cases of sexual abuse.
"Lin was dean of the National Taiwan University's department of political science for only a short period of time, because he used to invite female students over and then things happened. In the end, the university asked him to leave," Huang said.
Huang also pointed out that Lin was a fraud who tried to embezzle money from others using his status as a lawyer, but that his qualification was later cancelled.
"When Chen Chao-jung (
"We hope now that the DPP would follow this example and discipline Hsiao according to party regulations. We also want her to hold a press conference accompanied by the DPP caucus leaders to offer an apology. We also demand that the Presidential Office deprive Lin of his title as advisor," Lee said.
The DPP did not react to the pan-blue camp's demands. Instead, Hsiao, accompanied by other female DPP legislators and caucus secretary-general Tsai Huang-liang (
"There is nothing to apologize about. I came out to speak about the issue due to my sense of justice as a woman. The rumor of Lien beating his wife has been in circulation for many years and even [PFP chairman] James Soong (宋楚瑜) mentioned it during the 2000 presidential election," Hsiao said.
"I publicized the letter mainly because of my sympathy for abused women. In the past, when male politicians were involved in scandals, it was usually their wives who spoke up and endorsed them. Why doesn't the abuser speak up instead of the abused?" Hsiao said.
The DPP campaign headquarters yesterday supported Hsiao.
"Domestic violence is not just about personal morals, but it is about violating the Anti-Domestic Violence Law (家暴法). As a presidential candidate faced with issues that might have violated the law, Lien should offer an explanation to the public," said Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁), DPP campaign headquarters spokesman.
Honor guards are to stop performing changing of the guard ceremonies around a statue of Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) to avoid “worshiping authoritarianism,” the Ministry of Culture said yesterday. The fate of the bronze statue has long been the subject of fierce and polarizing debate in Taiwan, which has transformed from an autocracy under Chiang into one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies. The changing of the guard each hour at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei is a major tourist attraction, but starting from 9am on Monday, the ceremony is to be moved outdoors to Democracy Boulevard, outside the eponymous blue-and-white memorial
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) supports peaceful unification with China, and President William Lai (賴清德) is “a bit naive” for being a “practical worker for Taiwanese independence,” former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said in an interview published yesterday. Asked about whether the KMT is on the same page as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on the issue of Taiwanese independence or unification with China, Ma told the Malaysian Chinese-language newspaper Sin Chew Daily that they are not. While the KMT supports peaceful unification and is against unification by force, the DPP opposes unification as such and
The government would cancel kendo practitioner Su Yu-cheng’s (蘇郁程) nationality if he is confirmed to have represented China in the World Kendo Championships in Milan, Italy, last week, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday. “We have consulted the Sports Administration and were told that athletes participating in the championships must have the nationality of the country that they represent. They must also present their passports as proof,” council spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told a weekly news conference. “If Su indeed represented China in the championships, we suspect that he has obtained Chinese nationality.” The Act Governing Relations Between the People of the
FATAL ILLNESS: Untreated symptoms can rapidly worsen to complications such as high fever, seizures and loss of consciousness, and can be life-threatening, a doctor said Hospitals have been reporting dozens of people with heat-related illnesses every day over the past week, given continuous high daytime temperatures, so recognizing the early signs of heatstroke is crucial in preventing serious complications, a Taipei City Hospital emergency physician said. The Central Weather Administration yesterday issued a heat alert for 19 cities and counties across Taiwan, with temperatures in New Taipei City, Miaoli County and Pingtung County likely to exceed 38°C, and temperatures in 12 cities and counties likely to exceed 36°C for three days straight. More than a dozen people were taken to hospitals for heat-related illnesses every day from