Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Pro, anti-nuclear activists clash verbally

Taipei Times

Anti-Nuclear Action Alliance convener Kao Cheng-yan, center, and others hold up signs with the text “Fourth Nuclear Power Plant referendum, let the public decide” outside the Joint Central Government Office Building in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times

Supporters and opponents of nuclear energy verbally clashed yesterday at a public hearing held by the Central Election Commission, as it reviews a referendum proposal on whether fuel rods should be inserted to start test operations of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City.

“How will we handle nuclear waste? How will we evacuate the millions of residents in Greater Taipei in the event of a nuclear disaster? I don’t think we should continue developing nuclear energy until we can answer these questions,” an anti-nuclear activist surnamed Sui (隋) said. “Moreover, a nuclear power plant can operate for up to 40 years, and produce hundreds of tonnes of nuclear waste. How much should we pay for 40 years of energy supply?”

Chen’s son calls for his release as Palau case closed

Taipei Times

The son of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday pressed for his father’s release after the Special Investigation Divison (SID) on Wednesday said it found no evidence of wrongdoing in the so-called “Palau affair.”

Chen Chih-chung (陳致中) said the charges against his father were politically motivated and should be redressed, urging the government to release the former president from prison.

Control Yuan reveals Ma as inept

The Liberty Times Editorial

Late last month, the legislature voted on the nominees for the Control Yuan after a strict review of their qualifications, rejecting 11 of the 29 nominees.

The new Control Yuan, composed of the 18 remaining members, was instated on Aug. 1. After the gamble on the legislative floor, some Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators were both excited and comforted after successfully frustrating President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who also serves as KMT chairman.

Passing the buck on Kaohsiung blasts

Taipei Times Editorial

Days after the catastrophic gas explosions in Greater Kaohsiung, the cause is still veiled behind layers of finger-pointing, while the blasts have revealed more tattered urban planning and broken governmental coordination than ruptured pipelines.

LCY Chemical Corp, widely believed to be the most likely suspect in the explosions, named CPC, Taiwan — the state-run company that installed the pipelines in the area in 1990 and within two years handed one of the three pipelines over to Taiwan Polysilicon Corp, which was later bought by and merged with LCY in 2006 — as the regular inspector and maintainer for the pipelines.

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