UMC founder Robert Tsao leads recall rally at Taiwan legislature

聯華電子創辦人曹興誠在台灣立法院領導罷免集會

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – UMC founder Robert Tsao (曹興誠) led several groups supporting recall elections at a rally outside the legislature on Jinan Road in Taipei on Saturday evening.

Tsao addressed the crowd and described the upcoming recall vote for 24 KMT legislators as a crucial battle for democracy with serious consequences if it fails. Tsao also dismissed charges by the KMT that the recall vote was a means of eliminating opposition parties and a crackdown on dissent, per CNA.

Instead, Tsao said KMT legislators ignored the goodwill of the people and were arrogant and domineering, which he described as potential signs of collusion with China. Therefore, he said KMT legislators must be removed from office; otherwise, they will only trample on Taiwan's sovereignty.

With only three weeks left until the recall vote, several recall leaders from Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, and Hualien were invited to attend the event outside the legislature.

Ye Chun-lian (葉春蓮), a retired teacher from Hualien, warned that one target of the recall campaign, KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁), is leading a group of inexperienced legislators to force through bills without following procedure, paving the way for Chinese control of Taiwan. She urged the public to be vigilant and unified in response to such threats.

Luo Chun-hsuan (羅浚晅), president of Taiwan Society North, compared the legislators facing recall votes to doctors accused of malpractice in the operating room. He said their carelessness leaves the public with no option but to vote them out of office.

DPP Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) said that polls in March and April indicated only 20% of pan-blue supporters were willing to vote in the recall initiative, with the figure now reaching upwards of 60%, indicating a large investment in advertising has been effective. He added that the KMT has also made an effort to urge the public to vote against the recall, warning it could be a tough battle. Shen said that voting in favor of the recall is Taiwan's only path to ensure its future survival.