Minister of Justice Morley Shih (
Because more than 10 local councilor and township chief candidates who had been detained for vote-buying during their campaigns -- as well as most of the candidates who were under investigation for vote-buying -- won in the elections on Saturday, State Public Prosecutor-General Wu Ying-chao (吳英昭) yesterday told the legislative judicial committee that "Taiwanese people are too sensational."
Shih also told the committee that he felt it was strange that most of the candidates suspected of vote-buying were able to get elected.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Huang Teh-fu (
Wu responded, "If that is the truth, then Taiwan's democracy is done."
Shih said prosecutors nationwide will swiftly file annulment suits against 20 local councilship winners and 10 township chiefs that were indicted for vote-buying before election day.
Shih said that according to the Election and Recall Law (選舉罷法), annulment suits must be filed within 15 days of the announcement of election results.
Shih added that prosecutors nationwide are still probing a number of vote-buying scandals.
"Prosecutors are expediting their investigations for the purpose of filing annulment suits," Shih said.
Chu Chao-liang (
Tainan prosecutors indicted 17 candidates before Saturday's poll, all of whom won election.
In addition to the councilor and township elections, Taitung Council Speaker Wu Chun-li (
A number of prosecutors said that they were disappointed with the election results.
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