“The Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] will never have ties with gangsters as long as I remain party chairman,” DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday.
Su made the remarks after a magazine alleged DPP caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) had endorsed known criminals for DPP membership.
The Chinese-language the Journalist magazine on Wednesday reported that members of the “Sun Gang,” a subsidiary of the Tientaomen (天道盟) criminal organization, were among about 500 recent applicants for DPP membership, who were endorsed by Ker.
The magazine alleged Ker’s introduction of these applicants was likely a preparatory step toward next year’s DPP chairmanship party primary.
Ker on Wednesday rejected the media report, saying that he had never been involved in party factions and had never organized nominal party members.
In response to media queries yesterday, Su said he himself had been the victim of mafia activity incited by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in the past, and that as long as he remained at the helm of the party, the DPP would never allow mafia elements to enter its ranks.
Su’s aides later said that Su was referring to an incident in 1993 in which Su’s attempt to run for another term as Pingtung County commissioner was thwarted by mafia activity organized by Cheng Tai-chi (鄭太吉).
Su yesterday said the party would demand its local party branches to place all party applications under the strictest standards of screening and employ the party’s anti-mafia regulations to the fullest.
Meanwhile, as former DPP legislator Kuo Cheng-liang (郭正亮) and Ker went head-to-head over the incident, Su called upon party members to restrain themselves from attacking fellow party members without substantial evidence or proof.
The DPP is a political party with a history, but despite that it still has a working system, Su said, adding that since its founding in 1986, party members have had great expectations and hopes for the party and wanted to see it improve, but that was no reason for baseless slander of fellow members.
“If any member has concrete proof, they should provide said proof to party headquarters, the party would take all claims seriously and launch a thorough probe accordingly,” Su said.
Meanwhile, the party’s deputy secretary-general Lee Chun-yi (李俊毅) said the DPP has strict and precise regulations on member recruitment, party invitations, party fee payments and party member rights, adding that the party has numerous times made resolutions prohibiting the payment of party funds by proxy.
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 Chinese military has boosted its capability to fight at a high tempo using the element of surprise and new technology, the Ministry of National Defense said in the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) published on Monday last week. The ministry highlighted Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) developments showing significant changes in Beijing’s strategy for war on Taiwan. The PLA has made significant headway in building capabilities for all-weather, multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, operational control and a joint air-sea blockade against Taiwan’s lines of communication, it said. The PLA has also improved its capabilities in direct amphibious assault operations aimed at seizing strategically important beaches,
‘MALIGN PURPOSE’: Governments around the world conduct espionage operations, but China’s is different, as its ultimate goal is annexation, a think tank head said Taiwan is facing a growing existential threat from its own people spying for China, experts said, as the government seeks to toughen measures to stop Beijing’s infiltration efforts and deter Taiwanese turncoats. While Beijing and Taipei have been spying on each other for years, experts said that espionage posed a bigger threat to Taiwan due to the risk of a Chinese attack. Taiwan’s intelligence agency said China used “diverse channels and tactics” to infiltrate the nation’s military, government agencies and pro-China organizations. The main targets were retired and active members of the military, persuaded by money, blackmail or pro-China ideology to steal
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
RSS