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Keelung Prosecutors Offer Up to NT$5 Million for Election Bribery Tips

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Keelung prosecutors are offering up to NT$5 million for reporting election bribery, aiming to ensure fair elections in November.
  • The upcoming elections include mayor, city council, and village chief positions.
  • Authorities are focusing on new forms of bribery, including virtual currency, online gambling, and foreign interference.

Keelung prosecutors are launching a strong anti-bribery campaign ahead of the upcoming local elections, offering substantial rewards for information. Chief Prosecutor Chen Chia-hsiu announced that individuals reporting mayoral bribery could receive up to NT$5 million (approximately $150,000 USD), with rewards also offered for reporting bribery related to city council and village chief candidates.

The anti-bribery reward is quite generous. Reporting mayoral bribery can earn up to NT$5 million. We welcome citizens to actively report.

— Chen Chia-hsiuAnnouncing the reward amounts for reporting election bribery.

The elections, scheduled for November 28, will fill positions for mayor, city council members, and village chiefs. Chen emphasized the significant financial incentives available, detailing a tiered reward system. A quarter of the reward is disbursed upon indictment, another quarter upon a first-instance guilty verdict, and the remainder upon a final conviction. This initiative aims to encourage public participation in safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.

Beyond traditional bribery methods, Keelung prosecutors and police are prioritizing the investigation of emerging tactics. Key areas of focus include the use of virtual currencies for vote-buying, the influence of online gambling platforms on election outcomes, and the prevention of foreign funds from interfering with the elections. This proactive approach acknowledges the evolving landscape of electoral manipulation.

We will strengthen the investigation of bribery and ensure that illegal elements have no opportunity to take advantage.

— Chen Chia-hsiuPledging to combat electoral offenses.

Prosecutors and police leadership held a pre-election meeting to coordinate efforts and issue directives to frontline officers. They stressed the importance of maintaining open communication channels to swiftly address any intelligence related to bribery or foreign influence. The commitment is to vigorously investigate and combat all forms of electoral offenses, ensuring a fair and transparent election for Keelung residents.

The police have mobilized all forces to investigate bribery and prevent violence before the election. For various traditional and technological bribery methods, online election gambling, and foreign interference, the police will continue to gather intelligence and strike hard to ensure the smooth and successful completion of this election.

— Tong Bao-xianResponding to the prosecutor's directives and outlining police actions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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