Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday issued a warning after one of Taiwan’s largest criminal organizations booked tables at a restaurant inside the Legislative Yuan to select a new gang leader.
During a Cabinet meeting, Cho noted the “inappropriate, public actions of domestic gangs” and the negative impression they created for young people, saying such matters should be “effectively curbed” by the authorities, Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told reporters.
Cho also instructed the Ministry of the Interior and National Police Agency to closely monitor any further developments in the case, and to investigate and deal strictly with any illegal behavior, Lee said.
Photo courtesy of the Executive Yuan
Cho’s warning came after news broke on Tuesday that the Bamboo Union, one of Taiwan’s largest organized crime networks, had planned to meet at the Legislative Yuan’s Kangyuan Restaurant to select a new gang leader.
The spaces for 35 members of the gang’s leadership were reportedly booked by Chinese Unification Promotion Party founder Chang An-le (張安樂), who is also known as the “White Wolf.”
After finding out about the plans on Tuesday, Cho ordered the interior ministry to “handle” the issue, saying the Legislative Yuan’s restaurant “cannot become a mob den,” Lee said at the time.
The Bamboo Union’s planned meeting follows the death of its previous leader Huang Shao-tsen (黃少岑), known as “Yao Yao,” last month at age 74.
Huang’s memorial service, held in Taipei on March 6, was attended by an array of political and business elites, including former legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘).
Other prominent attendees included Ruentex Group founder Samuel Yin (尹衍樑), KMT Deputy Chairman Sean Lien (連勝文) and Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊).
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
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
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