At the Executive Yuan public security meeting today, Premier Jiang Yi-huah encouraged law enforcement units to continue seeking breakthroughs in difficult crime areas to bring a safe and harmonious living environment for Taiwanese people in the new year.
"Although there have been no major public security and fire incidents recently, we must not let our guard down as last year did not see significant improvement in the areas of sexual assault, domestic violence and drug abuse," he noted.
The premier suggested that the National Police Agency arrange for authorities from specific fields—such as financial and Internet crimes—to give reports at future public security meetings. Local governments with excellent safety records can also be invited to share their experiences and help other agencies in their efforts.
At today's meeting, the National Development Council reported on follow-up work to previously discussed issues, including a program to keep narrow alleyways unobstructed for fire truck access. Jiang instructed the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) to see to it that local governments complete the second-phase of this program by month's end and to present a progress report at the next meeting.
The MOI also reported on the latest public security trends and analyses. In 2013, crime volume, violent crimes and theft all fell to a 10-year low. Major cases were cracked quickly, and the number of deaths from drunk driving dropped 34.84 percent from the previous year. The steady improvements in public security can be attributed to the joint efforts of central and local governments, said the premier.
The premier congratulated the Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Third Special Police Corps for two major drug busts on January 2 and 10. The first case involved 424 kilograms of ketamine and 302 kilograms of ephedrine seized at Yehliu Harbor in New Taipei City, and in the second, authorities uncovered 480 kilograms of ketamine in a shipping container. With schools currently on winter break, Jiang urged narcotics units to stay vigilant and keep drugs out of the hands of young people.
In the area of transportation safety, the arrival of the Lunar New Year holiday (January 30 through February 4) will mark the most important time of the year, Jiang said. The MOI and Ministry of Transportation and Communications have put control and response measures in place to keep citizens safe throughout the long holiday. Also, police departments across the country will simultaneously launch "operation safe holiday" on January 21. Because accidents and problems of all kinds can be expected during the Lunar New Year season, the premier reminded law enforcement agencies to strengthen their response capabilities and be ready for any emergency.
Regarding fire safety programs, the MOI reported that it has set aside a special budget in 2014 after the recent spate of indoor carbon monoxide poisoning accidents. The funds will go toward helping 1,927 households reposition their gas-burning water heaters or purchase new ones, with priority being given to low- and middle-income families. Premier Jiang asked the MOI to remind the public of the importance of proper ventilation when using gas stoves or water heaters.
In terms of fire accidents, 2013 saw 123 fewer occurrences, 50 fewer deaths, and NT$161.28 million (US$5.3 million) less property damage than the year before, Jiang quoted from the report. After singling out the nation's firefighters for their hard work, the premier urged the MOI to proactively implement prevention measures in order to further reduce losses caused by fires.
The MOI also reported encouraging developments in fireworks safety. The premier had called for heightened investigations of black-market firecracker factories during the public security meeting on November 26, 2013, and with the combined efforts of several agencies, no related accidents have yet taken place. He pressed the MOI not to let up but rather to continue directing local governments to step up examinations and crackdowns of illegal fireworks producers and vendors. More fire safety maintenance and inspection tasks should be conducted in locations visited by crowds to allow all people to celebrate the holidays safely, he said.
Finally, the premier remarked that the amendment to the Communication Security and Surveillance Act passed by the Legislature January 14, 2014 would go into force five months after its promulgation date. He noted that prosecutorial, police and investigatory units all believe that this amendment will affect the way they manage public safety. Jiang asked the MOJ to assess this issue within the framework of human rights protection and crime deterrence, and to expeditiously deliberate countermeasures or propose further amendments to resolve any problem the legislation poses.