Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

‘Sorry’ cannot fix institutional flaws

Taipei Times Editorial

A few hours short of a whole week after the Accounting Act (會計法) was amended by the legislature, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) apologized for errors in the legislation. This was a rare admission of a misstep from Ma and his administration.

But the apology created some confusion coming as it did a day after Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) rejected a request for the Cabinet to veto the measure, which came from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌). That day, an Executive Yuan spokesperson said Jiang had reiterated the Cabinet had no plan to veto the bill.

Media is wrong to be silent on democracy

Hsu Yu-fang 許又方

In a speech marking the 24th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said that the incident in China on June 4, 1989, was just as tragic as the 228 Massacre, and that both were “tragedies that occurred as a result of inappropriate government handling of public protests.”

This is quite the non-statement.

In addition, neither of the country’s two pro-government daily newspapers mentioned the June 4 incident in as much as a single word.

Lu launches new petition for nuclear referendum

Taipei Times

Former vice president Annette Lu, first right, accompanied by Democratic Progressive Party city councilors, speaks at a press conference in Taipei yesterday in which she launched a petition for a nuclear referendum to oppose the government’s own proposed referendum.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times

As part of ongoing opposition to the government’s nuclear policy Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday launched a petition in Taipei for a nuclear referendum to decide whether fuel rods should be inserted into the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Gongliao District (貢寮).

Lu, joined by several Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilors, said the Taipei City Council passed a regulation on civil referendums in Taipei, and she expected to collect 15,000 signatures in the city for her proposed referendum to be approved.

Remember Taiwan, US Congress members tell Obama

Taipei Times

Leaders of the US Congressional Taiwan Caucus have written to US President Barack Obama urging him to remember Taiwan’s “vital interests” during the two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) which starts today in California.

“Taiwan is a strong democracy, a close trading partner, and an ally of the US,” they said in the letter.

It is signed by Republican representatives Mario Diaz-Balart and John Carter, and Democratic representatives Gerald Connolly and Albio Sires.

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