Politics

Final campaign rallies, activities must all end at 10 p.m.: CEC

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-15
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Liu Yi-chou reminded 6728885candidates to the upcoming general elections that all campaign rallies must end at 10 p.m., reports said Friday.

Liu pointed out that the nation’s eligible voters can cast their ballots beginning 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, while cautioning all candidates that those rallying or partaking in any campaign activities during Election Day are liable to fines between NT$500,000 to NT$5 million.

There are just over 18.78 million eligible voters in the country’s 22 cities and counties, the CEC said, adding that it estimates first-time voters to be around the 1.29 million mark.

In order to facilitate voters seek their designated polling stations, the CEC has set up a TGOS location search in its official website using Google Map.     [FULL  STORY]

Chu makes election-eve call for solidarity within pan-blue camp

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/15
By: Hsieh Chia-chen, Chao Li-yn and Lilian Wu

Taipei, Jan. 15 (CNA) Eric Chu (朱立倫), the presidential candidate of the 22279984ruling Kuomintang (KMT), on Friday called for solidarity within the pan-blue camp.

Speaking passionately in the election-eve rally held in a stadium in New Taipei, where he is the mayor, he said that he wanted to say to the good friends of the People First Party (PFP) and the New Party that “over the past 20 years, whenever we were divided and not united, we failed.”

Amid the drizzle, Chu implored thousands of supporters to unite to support him and the KMT, noting that both political parties had originally splintered from the KMT.

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) also attended the Taipei rally to lend his support.

He bowed to all to solicit support for Chu and cited what the KMT has achieved over the years.     [FULL  STORY]

Election results expected by 10 p.m.

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-15
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Results of the January 16 presidential and

Election results expected by 10 p.m. Sat. Central News Agency (2016-01-15 18:20:46)

Election results expected by 10 p.m. Sat. Central News Agency (2016-01-15 18:20:46)

legislative elections could be expected to be complete by 10 p.m. Saturday, the Central Election Commission said Friday.

An estimated 18 million people have the right to cast ballots in the election for a president and vice president, and for 113 members of the Legislative Yuan. Each voter will have three ballots, one for the presidential ticket, one for the local legislator, and one for a list of candidates drawn up by a political party.

The Legislature counts 73 members elected in single-seat districts, six members elected by indigenous people, and 34 at-large members from the party lists.

Voting will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and the expectation that the results will be known by 10 p.m. was more or the less the same as on the previous occasion, in 2012, the CEC said.     [FULL  STORY]

PFP’s Soong vows to form coalition government

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/15
By: Wang Cheng-chung and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Jan. 15 (CNA) People First Party (PFP) presidential candidate 64668355James Soong (宋楚瑜) said on the eve of Saturday’s elections that if elected, he will act at once to organize a big coalition government, which will be committed to rebuilding the people’s trust.

At a pep rally at Taipei Stadium, the 73-year-old veteran politician also said that he will promote a two-round voting system for the presidential election in the future to “let the president who wins half the of ballots lead the country.”     [FULL  STORY]

ELECTIONS: Reporter’s Notebook: Tsai’s campaign reveals lapses in security

RELAXED:Tsai Ing-wen’s supporters were allowed to approach her vehicle and give her bags with gifts in them, without her security personnel checking the bags first

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 16, 2016
By: Loa Iok-sin / Staff reporter

While security measures to protect Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)

A man is asked by a security guard to leave after climbing on a Democratic Progressive Party truck in Chiayi County’s Singang Township on Monday. Photo: Loa Iok-sin, TaipeI Times

A man is asked by a security guard to leave after climbing on a Democratic Progressive Party truck in Chiayi County’s Singang Township on Monday. Photo: Loa Iok-sin, TaipeI Times

presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) were said to have been tightened amid speculations of potential security threats, loopholes in security still existed that might have put Tsai at risk.

On Monday, as Tsai, walked out of the Fengtian Temple (奉天宮) in Chiayi County’s Singang Township (新港) after a religious ceremony and was about to climb onto the back of a pick-up truck with bullet proof glass cabin to tour the township with a motorcade, a man in a red jacket, carrying a camera, came out of nowhere and climbed onto the vehicle, shocking journalists standing on a media truck awaiting Tsai’s arrival.

“What is he doing?” “Who is that guy?” “What are the security officers doing?” The journalists who witnessed what just happened asked among themselves.
The man was immediately pulled down from the truck by police and National Security Bureau (NSB) officers and, without question, the officers set him free when he got down from the car.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai campaigns the streets of Tainan, Chiayi amid a cheerful crowd

Taiwan News
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
Date: 2016-01-14

Tsai’s campaign reaches Tainan, Chiayi

The streets of Chiayi and Tainan were filled with exuberant supporters as 6728633they cheered for the arrival of Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday.

An avid follower even hailed a sign saying: “I can get married only if Tsai is elected!”

Tsai’s campaign trail has since switched to full gear with the approach of the election day on Saturday.

The presidential hopeful campaigned in Chiayi in the afternoon alongside DPP legislative candidates Chen Ming-wen, who is vying for a legislative seat representing Chiayi’s Jhongpu Township.

Earlier in the day, Tsai was warmly received by a cheerful crowd as her motorcade passed through the streets of Tainan, whose mayor William Lai also joined Tsai during the morning rally.    [FULL  STORY]

ELECTIONS: KMT accused of illegal mobilization of public servants

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 15, 2016
By Loa Iok-sin / Staff reporter
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday accused Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫), who is also New Taipei City mayor, of illegally mobilizing New Taipei City government employees to take part in a KMT campaign parade.

Holding up copies of a mobilization document at a media conference at DPP headquarters in Taipei, party spokesperson Wang Min-sheng (王閔生) said that the KMT document assigned the job of coordination not only to KMT staff members, but also district office employees to attend a campaign parade in New Taipei City’s Yingge District (鶯歌).

The document said that crowds need to be placed along the parade route, waving flags to show Chu is well supported.     [FULL  STORY]

ELECTIONS: Tsai greeted by hundreds of supporters in south

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 15, 2016
By: Loa Iok-sin / Staff reporter in Chiayi

With less than two days to go to the presidential election, Democratic

Several young women wearing wedding veils yesterday in Chiayi County hold up a placard which reads: “Tsai Ing-wen, if you win the election, I’ll get married.” Photo: Su Fang-ho, Taipei Times

Several young women wearing wedding veils yesterday in Chiayi County hold up a placard which reads: “Tsai Ing-wen, if you win the election, I’ll get married.” Photo: Su Fang-ho, Taipei Times

Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) paraded through Kaohsiung, Tainan, Chiayi, Changhua and Taichung yesterday, with supporters in Dalin Township (大林), Chiayi County, most eager to show their passion and creativity.

Hundreds of people — young and old, men and women — gathered at an intersection near Dalin Elementary School yesterday way more than an hour before Tsai’s scheduled arrival, holding up placards greeting Tsai with “hello president” and “female leader is the global trend,” as well as large and small flags promoting Tsai and the local DPP legislative candidate, Chen Ming-wen (陳明文).

Loud cheers burst among the crowd as soon as Tsai’s convoy arrived, together with continuous chants of “Tsai Ing-wen, get elected” in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) when Tsai got out of her van to climb onto an open-air jeep with bullet proof glass around it.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s choice for change

Taiwan News
Editorial
Date: 2016-01-14
By: Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Politicians running for election always want you to believe that the next 6728643election is historic, a unique opportunity for change, a time to make your voice heard and change the fate of your country.

In 1996, after numerous other types of elections, Taiwanese voters received the first-ever opportunity to choose their own head-of-state. The result was a vote of confidence in incumbent President Lee Teng-hui, who received more votes than his three various opponents put together, partly thanks to intimidation from China in the shape of missile tests.

On the second occasion however, voters opted for change, for the first time voting a representative of the Democratic Progressive Party into office. Chen Shui-bian narrowly defeated independent James Soong, while the candidate of the government, Vice President Lien Chan, finished a distant third. A clearer message for change was not possible.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai to sweep through west Taiwan in last 48 hours

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-13
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

With Taiwan’s general election entering its last 48 hours on Thursday (Jan.

Last 48 hrs Tsai to sweep through west Taiwan.

Last 48 hrs Tsai to sweep through west Taiwan.

14), the opposition Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen’s motorcade will sweep from the southern port city of Kaohsiung to Taipei via western Taiwan, covering a total of 10 counties and cities, DPP spokesperson Ruan Jhao-syong said Wednesday.

Ruan announced the street sweeping plan in a press conference Wednesday, saying the DPP will mobilize all party members in the last 48 hours to win the elections.

In the last sprint of the race, Tsai will start from Kaohsiung on Thursday, stopover in South District, Tainan City; Dalin Township, Chiayi County; Changhua City; West District and Nantun District, Taichung City; and then rally at Hsinchu County and Taoyuan City on the same night, Ruan said.

In the last 24 hours before the elections, the motorcade will start from Fengyuan District, Taichung City, stopover in Miaoli County, Hsinchu City, Zhongli and Pingzhen Districts, Taoyuan City; and Sanchong District, New Taipei City before making its way to Zhong Xiao East Road in Taipei City, Ruan said.     [FULL  STORY]