After Changhua County on Wednesday bulldozed the so-called “Chinese communism shrine,” Changhua County Commissioner Wei Ming-ku (魏明谷) yesterday said that shrine owner Wei Ming-jen (魏明仁) would have to foot the bill.
The commissioner’s comments came after celebrity Youtuber “Angela Chang” accused the government of letting Wei Ming-jen shrug off the cost of demolishing the temple’s illegal structures, which she estimated at NT$5 million (US$163,661).
Although Wei Ming-jen is embroiled in several lawsuits, the government has yet to freeze his assets or look into the sources of his funding, so the public would likely be stuck with the demolition costs, Chang said.
The Democratic Progressive Party administration should not condone Beijing supporters who threaten the public with talk of drowning Taiwan in blood with Chinese arms, she said.
Wei Ming-ku said that the Administrative Enforcement Agency should have no trouble reclaiming the expense, as the temple was built on property that belonged to people with whom he had financial ties.
The owner of an illegal building is by law responsible for paying for its demolition and the county intends to make Wei Ming-jen pay the full sum, Wei Ming-ku said.
Should Wei Ming-jen liquidate his assets or escape the jurisdiction before he pays, the county would sell the land, which is easily worth more than NT$5 million, the commissioner said.
Tearing down the illegal shrine was a matter of “defending national security and the dignity of the Taiwanese people,” he said, adding that the county aims to finish the job in a week.
The county estimates the cost of the demolition at NT$5.8 million, including NT$300,000 in police costs, but the figure is subject to revision, county Deputy Commissioner Lin Ming-yu (林明裕) said.
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
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-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
RSS