The amnesty plan proposed by President Chen Shui-bian (
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday urged legislators to give the president's proposal an unbiased reading.
It would be a "good thing" for the government to let criminals convicted of minor crimes return to society and look after their families, he said.
On Tuesday, Chen announced that he had given instructions to the Cabinet to consider commuting some criminal sentences to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the lifting of martial law in Taiwan and the 60th anniversary of the 228 Incident.
`Political approach'
"I hope that opposition parties will avoid politicizing the matter and that the ruling party will not use it as issue to increase its prospects in the coming elections," Wang said.
He added that it would be possible for the legislature to pass an amnesty statute by May 20.
Despite Wang's conciliatory approach, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Hsu Shao-ping (徐少萍) yesterday criticized Chen's plan as an election strategy.
"I am suspicious of [Chen's] motives in granting reduced sentences to prisoners. The elections are approaching. What A-bian [Chen's nickname] did is all about the upcoming elections," Hsu said while speaking at a press conference.
People First Party Spokesman Lee Hung-chun (
"It's not a thing that can be decided by the president himself," Lee said.
Be cautious
Former KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yi (吳敦義) added that the party had no reason not to accept the plan, but said that it should not include those who had committed serious crimes.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Wang Tuoh (
Presidential pardons have been granted four times in the past, Wang Tuoh said.
"I believe the president's amnesty proposal of amnesty reflects respect for human rights," he said.
"[Granting the amnesty] to mark the 60th anniversary of the 228 Incident and the 20th anniversary of the end of the martial law is meaningful to the people in the nation ... The public should not interpret it as electioneering," he added.
Although the range of crimes eligible for the amnesty should be fully discussed, he said he hoped the public would not "twist the president's goodwill in granting the amnesty."
Thumbs-up
On her way to attend a DPP Central Standing Committee meeting yesterday, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) gave a thumbs-up to the amnesty proposal.
"It is a good deed and should be applauded because this year is the 20th anniversary of the end of martial law," she said.
DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun told reporters that the amnesty should come with a complete set of regulatory policies to maintain public order.
`Fresh start'
"We hope to offer chances for those who would like to correct their errors and make a fresh start, but we also hope that criminals will not seize the opportunity to commit more crimes," he said.
"I believe the president or the Cabinet will come up with a complete set of policies [to go with the amnesty]," he said.
At another press conference, DPP Legislator You Ching (尤清) said that while he supported the president's proposal, prisoners involved in corruption cases or in the production or sales of illegal drugs should not be eligible for amnesty.
Additional reporting by Mo Yan-chih
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
RSS