President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday awarded former Judicial Yuan president Shih Chi-yang (施啟揚) and former Control Yuan presidents Wang Tso-jung (王作榮) and Chen Lu-an (陳履安) with the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon.
It is customary to award former premiers, legislative speakers and the presidents of the Control Yuan, Judicial Yuan and Examination Yuan with the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon after retirement, but since the finalization of the Constitution of the Republic of China (ROC), Wang, Chen and Shih were the only three administrative heads that had not yet been presented with such an award on stepping down from their positions.
The Presidential Office said that as the Medals Act (勳章條例) did not restrict presidents from awarding medals to administrative chiefs that had retired under previous administrations, Ma had decided to honor the custom and personally award medals to the three former civil servants.
Photo: CNA
The Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon was first given on Feb. 12, 1941, has nine orders, and is usually given to civil servants in recognition of extraordinary contributions made to the nation, or to civilians or foreigners whose actions have greatly contributed to the nation.
The Presidential Office said in accordance with Article 6 of the Medals Act: “Individuals making extraordinary contributions to the nation’s administrative, legislative, judicial, examination or control systems should be awarded the Order of Propitious Clouds or the Order of the Brilliant Star.”
Shih and his wife, Lee Chung-kuei (李鍾桂), attended the ceremony yesterday, and though Shih was unable to speak due to illness, Lee Chung-kuei said that it was one of the happiest days in her husband’s life.
When Ma conferred the award on Shih, the former civil servant held Ma’s hand tightly for a long time, overcome with emotion, but unable to express himself.
“When my husband heard the news, he felt he did not deserve such recognition,” Lee Chung-kuei said.
However, following tradition and to give thanks for the president’s concern they decided to accept the award, she added.
Born in 1936, Shih received his doctorate in law at Germany’s Heidelberg University in 1967.
He was a teacher in National Taiwan University department of law when Ma attended the university, and also served as deputy minister of education, vice premier, chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council and secretary-general of the National Security Council.
Shih was also involved with the committee that investigated the 319 Incident, in which then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and then-vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) were shot at on the eve of the 2004 presidential election.
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday appealed to the authorities to release former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) from pretrial detention amid conflicting reports about his health. The TPP at a news conference on Thursday said that Ko should be released to a hospital for treatment, adding that he has blood in his urine and had spells of pain and nausea followed by vomiting over the past three months. Hsieh Yen-yau (謝炎堯), a retired professor of internal medicine and Ko’s former teacher, said that Ko’s symptoms aligned with gallstones, kidney inflammation and potentially dangerous heart conditions. Ko, charged with
Taiwan-based publisher Li Yanhe (李延賀) has been sentenced to three years in prison, fined 50,000 yuan (US$6,890) in personal assets and deprived political rights for one year for “inciting secession” in China, China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said today. The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court announced the verdict on Feb. 17, Chen said. The trial was conducted lawfully, and in an open and fair manner, he said, adding that the verdict has since come into legal effect. The defendant reportedly admitted guilt and would appeal within the statutory appeal period, he said, adding that the defendant and his family have