At the Executive Yuan public security meeting today, Premier Jiang Yi-huah and officials discussed a range of issues of concern to citizens, including customs security, public venue security, firefighting hazards and drunk driving.
Regarding customs security at Kinmen and Lienchiang counties, the premier instructed the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), the Ministry of Finance and Kinmen County government to step up improvement of port facilities once the land is made available by the Ministry of National Defense. Import and export processing zones should also be managed separately to prevent smuggling and trafficking.
As for public safety, the first quarter of the year saw a drop in crime cases and rise in crime resolution rate, reported the Ministry of the Interior (MOI). But despite encouraging statistics, Premier Jiang said, people are still feeling anxious after a string of unsettling events at home and abroad, such as the High Speed Rail bomb scare, gun attacks on the residence and workplace of a local public representative, abduction cases, as well as the Boston bombing and the Texas fertilizer plant explosion in the U.S.
In the High Speed Rail case, investigators tracked down the suspects after they allegedly planted the explosive devices and fled to mainland China. The premier commended law enforcement agencies for quickly cracking the case and urged them to remain alert to similar incidents and continue using scientific investigative methods to render swift justice.
The bomb scare has raised considerable anxiety about the security of mass transportation systems, said Jiang. Hence, authorities were instructed to review standard operating procedures for handling such emergencies and to make changes to manpower, facilities and laws as appropriate. In particular, police patrols should be increased to identify suspicious items and check dead spots.
"Explosive devices can be planted in all kinds of public venues such as concert halls, baseball stadiums and department stores," he added. "And since the attacks do not always follow the same pattern, government agencies must be on the alert and enhance their prevention and response mechanisms."
On the problem of firefighting operations being hampered in narrow alleyways, the premier said measures have been launched to ameliorate such difficulties. Concerned about the extent of the hazard as reported by local authorities, he directed the MOI and the MOTC to help local governments make improvements, such as designating appropriate street parking and no-parking areas and keeping hazardous alleys clear at all times to allow firefighters to carry out their missions.
As for efforts to curtail drunk driving, Jiang noted the number of crackdowns has increased from last year to this March while the number of related deaths has dropped to a 10-year low. He thanked members of the police force for their work on the front lines. Since the public has such high expectations of the government in this area, the MOI made several recommendations on promoting policies, amending regulations and enforcing laws. The premier asked the MOTC, the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency to ramp up the fight against drunk driving by pooling the resources of local governments and private organizations.