Koway Company Faces Protest Over Rebate Withdrawal in Kaohsiung

A significant protest has erupted in Kaohsiung's Daliao district, where nearly 300 residents from eight villages have gathered to voice their strong opposition to Koway Company's proposed withdrawal of construction rebates and review of operational rebates. The company claims financial difficulties as the reason for these changes, a justification that has been met with fierce resistance from the local community.

For years, the residents have endured various forms of pollution stemming from industrial activities in the Daliao Industrial Park, accepting these hardships in exchange for economic development and the promised community benefits. The company's move to alter or retract these long-standing rebate agreements is seen by the locals as a betrayal of trust and a violation of contractual obligations.

The protesters, led by the village chiefs, have presented three key demands: the resignation of Koway's chairman, the company's adherence to the contractual payment of rebates unless the plant is shut down, and a renegotiation of construction incentive bonuses based on the Ministry of Economic Affairs' 2005 regulations.

The dispute originated from the operational practices of a waste incineration facility within the industrial park. While Koway Company has been paying operational rebates and construction rebates, the new chairman, who took office last year, has proposed to cancel the NT$35 million construction rebate and adjust the operational rebate, which is calculated at NT$300 per metric ton. This proposal has been widely perceived as a unilateral breach of agreement by the local community.