The Taiwan Go Go political alliance yesterday called for greater electoral transparency, saying that 107 of the 14,100 candidates for borough and village wardens have criminal records.
Such information is not included in election bulletins, limiting public knowledge of candidates’ offenses, the alliance said.
New Power Party Chairwoman Claire Wang (王婉諭) cited as an example the candidate for Wufen Borough (五分) warden in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖), Wang Chien-sheng (王健陞), who had been sentenced to one year and 10 months in prison for attempted sexual assault of a person who was incapacitated.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
If a borough resident had not brought the matter to the party’s attention, voters would not have known about the candidate’s conduct, as it would not have appeared in the election bulletin, the chairwoman said.
The alliance investigated candidates in 20 regions, and identified 107 candidates with criminal records, she said.
Kaohsiung had the largest number at 22, followed by New Taipei City with 17 and Tainan with 11, she added.
Taiwan Statebuilding Party Taipei City councilor candidate Wu Hsin-tai (吳欣岱) said that as of Wednesday, election-related offenses accounted for the largest category at 36 cases.
Illegal claims for public funds or false reporting of campaign expenses, and violence or intimidation each accounted for 21 cases, followed by eight cases involving drunk or drug driving and traffic offenses.
Taiwan Obasang Political Equality Party (TOPEP) Taipei city councilor candidate Lee Hui-hsuan (李惠喧) said there were seven people involved in cases of attempted sexual assault, forced indecency, profiting from premises that provide prostitution, sexual harassment, and stalking and harassment.
At least four are sitting borough or village wardens, Lee said, adding that in two sexual harassment cases, the victims were minors, while one candidate was found guilty of 13 offenses involving the sexual harassment of children and adolescents.
Borough and village wardens depend on residents’ trust and candidates for such positions should understand and respect personal boundaries, Lee added.
TOPEP executive Chen Wan-yu (陳宛毓) said there were eight offenses involving bribery and 25 related to illicit relocation of household registrations.
Green Party Taiwan general convener Kan Chung-wei (甘崇緯) said 19 candidates were involved in 21 cases involving the misuse of public funds.
Of those, 11 took actions for their personal gain or to benefit others, while 10 involved falsified documents, Kan said.
Another nine cases involved falsifying documents to use public funds for ineligible people, he added.
Taiwan Go Go was formed last year to coordinate candidates and pool resources in elections.
A Hualien pomelo farmer refused to sell to China after the country announced it would permit more Taiwanese pomelo imports, prompting widespread support from Taiwanese consumers, who rallied to buy his fruit. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office last month said that China’s General Administration of Customs registered an additional 79 Taiwanese pomelo orchards and packing facilities in Hualien County, allowing more Taiwanese producers to export pomelos to China. “I am a Hualien fruit farmer and I refuse to sell to China,” Liu Tzu-hao (劉子豪) from Ruisui Township (瑞穗) said in an online post. Liu is a well-known farmer in the community and has served
UPDATE: The submarine would need to undergo combined systems testing and crew training for navy personnel before it is ready for mission, an expert said Taiwan’s first domestically built submarine, the Hai Kun (Narwhal, 海鯤), could be delivered to the navy as early as next month, military expert and Taiwan Association for Security and Development chairman Chi Tung-yun (紀東昀) said yesterday. The submarine was yesterday morning observed departing for its 21st sea trial and its 15th submerged test. The vessel missed the initial delivery deadline of November last year due to “testing delays,” its primary contractor, shipbuilder CSBC Corp, Taiwan, said in June. The contractor also cited “political pressure from China” in procuring critical equipment. All testing operations are in the final stages, with the
OCT. 31: The antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Eraflu have been distributed to about 4,000 medical facilities nationwide for people in seven groups who develop flu-like symptoms As the domestic influenza epidemic enters its peak season and continues to escalate, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday announced that publicly funded influenza antiviral drugs for seven eligible groups have been extended to Oct. 31, allowing those who develop flu-like symptoms to receive the medication without undergoing a rapid influenza test. The CDC has extended the expanded use of flu antiviral drugs to seven groups: healthcare and influenza-prevention personnel; residents and staff at nursing homes, long-term care facilities and similar institutions; kindergarten and daycare workers and home-based caregivers; students from kindergarten through high school, vocational high school and the
Six NT$10 million (US$315,527) special prizes and seven NT$2 million grand prizes in Taiwan's May-June uniform invoice lottery remained unclaimed as of today, including one NT$10 million winner who spent only NT$10 on an Uber Eats delivery order, the Ministry of Finance said. The ministry said the 13 winners need to claim their prizes by Nov. 5. The eight-digit serial number that won the NT$10 million special prize for May-June was 38548029, with 18 winning receipts in total. The NT$2 million grand prize number was 10138845, of which there were 22 winning receipts, the ministry said. In addition to the receipt issued for an
RSS