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Updated Friday, October 23, 2009 9:31 am TWN, The China Post news staff Strict gun control to stayLegislator Yu Tien of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party urged the government yesterday to follow the U.S. practice of easing the rules to allow law-abiding citizens to own handguns to protect themselves. Yu said that gun smuggling is "quite common" in Taiwan, which he said not only enables gangsters and the wealthy to buy guns easily but also boosts the price of illegal firearms on the black market. Possession of firearms by the general public would be a great deterrence against mob activities, he claimed. In response, Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah said the government will not consider legalizing gun ownership by the country's citizens. Jiang said the disadvantages of allowing private gun ownership far outweigh the benefits and that the ministry may only consider allowing guards at security firms to carry firearms because of the special nature of their jobs. National Police Agency (NPA) Director-General Wang Cho-chiun pointed out that social order in Taiwan is not so bad that people need guns to protect themselves. Meanwhile, Yeh Yu-lan, an associate professor at Central Police University, expressed opposition to allowing legal ownership of firearms by citizens, including security guards. Although there are still debates over whether the citizens should be allowed to bear arms for self defense, there are nonetheless more than 5,000 legally privately owned handguns in the country, according to statistics released by the NPA. Of the total number of privately-owned guns, 1,000 are for self-defense and 4,000 are used by aboriginal people for hunting purposes, according to the agency. But the number of privately-owned guns has been decreasing year on year because of strict domestic regulations on private ownership of firearms, an agency official added. The Statute for Management of Self-Defense Firearms was originally enacted as many people brought guns with them when they moved to Taiwan from mainland China along with the Kuomintang government at the end of the World War II after losing the Chinese civil war to the Communists. Under the statute, people who own private arms are required to receive a regular inspection every two years as well as random inspections anytime by the police. In most cases, the old guns or rifles held 60 years ago are now allowed to be replaced with new ones without requiring any valid reasons. This causes a natural attrition of such guns held in private hands. Concerning a proposal of allowing guards at security firms to carry firearms to protect themselves and their cash-delivery vans, executives at leading security firms expressed reservations over the suggestion. They said it will become a greater management challenge to ensure that the guards can use the firearms responsibly. Holding lethal weapons can actually generate greater risks for the guards because armed criminals are tempted to put the guards to death in robbery or other lawless attempts, they said. They noted that more weapons held by security guards will also expose them to severe risks of being robbed by outlaws who want to snatch the guns and sell them on black market for immediate profits. Professor Yeh at the police university also opposed easing the rules for security guards. She pointed out there are presently strict criteria for qualified people who can legally possess and use the weapons. But easing the rules will make many guards disqualified for the security job and make the unemployment problems in Taiwan even worse, she said. Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here Comments October 23, 2009 wackerbeer13@ Reply Allowing the public to carry guns to protect themselves would turn this country into 'the wild west or rather, wild east'. It would be like asking turkey's to vote for Christmas to follow the American's on this one. Thank goodness the majority in government had the sense and the guts to kick this ludicrous idea into touch. October 25, 2009 sundog50@ Wrong, wackerbeer13!Allowing law-abiding citizens to exercise their right to self defense with the most effective means would not promote crime at all, it would inhibit it. Look to the 35 U.S. states where "shall issue" CCW is the law. They have very few problems with CCW licensees misusing firearms. In fact, CCW licensees have fewer arrests than serving police. I hope that one day Taiwan will allow its citizens the freedom to bear arms. October 26, 2009 pro-criminal gun control@ Public servants should also stop carrying guns. As can be seen in the picture in the article, the police are obviously outgunned by organized criminals. The article correctly points out that the criminals will merely kill police to take their guns, after all, police patrol known routes by themselves. This also endangers the public in the process of allowing high quality (not junk guns) available on the streets. October 27, 2009 gun_ban@ DPP Yu Tien might have gone crazy. Gun is hot even in the possession of the law abiding citizens. Look at America. Even youngster use gun to kill their fellow students in the university campus. GUN BAN is the only way to fight against CRIME. June 19, 2010 right to protect self@ Each human being born on the earth has the right to protect themselves. Unfortunately, governments which think they can do a better job at protecting me than I can, have taken this right from me. It's easy to point at the sensationalized media reports of gun deaths, but which media organization will do a 'breaking report' about "Thief changes plan due to owner's drawn gun"? June 24, 2010 carltanong@ Gun Ban and Capital punishment should stay. DPP Yu Tien was unfit to be a legislator. Only the Rules of Law can protect the law abiding citizens not gun. -Can the law abiding citizens know when the criminal will strike at their back? -Will the criminals give prior notice or warning that he is going to abuse and kill you? Only the Rules of Law and Death Penalty can give guarantee to all law abiding citizens against criminals. An advice to Yu Tien: Gun is hot and wild. Even the Law Abiding citizens can use the gun to kill another Law Abiding Citizens under the influence of rages, grudges, distress or ALCOHOL. June 28, 2010 feddoc168@ Bad guys will always find a way to get guns. If Taiwanese people think that strict gun bans will make it difficult for bad guys to get guns, you are delusional. The question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you trust your "good guys" with guns. Gun ban proponents always make claims that more guns will turn a place into the "wild west," and "blood will flow in the streets." But that's simply not true. Here in the US, places with strictest gun laws also are some of the most dangerous places to live. Places where gun laws are relaxed and more common citizens have guns, crime rates seem to be lower. Yes, there will always be sensational cases of mass shootings. Strict gun bans will not stop that. September 29, 2010 matt.vaughan@ Taiwan's gun control laws and the reasoning behind them are silly. Taiwan and its citizens would be much safer if the citizens had the option to own and possess firearms. The government agencies that oppose private firearm ownership show a fundamental ignorance of firearms - or maybe they just want it to be easier to control and abuse the citizens of Taiwan by force. In the United States far more crime is prevented by citizens owning firearms. United States citizens that legally own firearms and are trained in the safe use of firearms are accountable for nearly 0% (Zero) of firearm involved crimes. It's time that gun fearing liberals and tyrants are ignored because their thoughts are based on ignorance or possibly on sinister motives. September 29, 2010 matt.vaughan@ gun_ban@ wrote: I'm an American. Your comment is based on pure ignorance.DPP Yu Tien might have gone crazy. Gun is hot even in the possession of the law abiding citizens. Look at America. Even youngster use gun to kill their fellow students in the university campus. GUN BAN is the only way to fight against CRIME. October 5, 2010 elumpen@ For all you Americans here who think that putting a lethal weapon in the hands of people who can't even steer a scooter in a straight line, I have one word for you: Philippines. If you haven't been there, go, and observe.The US hasn't dissolved in a bloodbath of social chaos BECAUSE it has gun controls. They're not very good controls, and way too many Americans are still killed by guns (usually their own). But at least it has them. The most recent research indicates that gun crimes are usually committed using weapons bought in those states with the most lax controls. October 6, 2010 carltanong@ matt.vaughan@ wrote: If you Americans love guns then go with it. Hope the gun carried by the American won't shoot and kill fellow students in the school campus or anywhere else. Good luck.I'm an American. Your comment is based on pure ignorance. April 11, 2011 thenazikid@ More Chinese propaganda BS. April 13, 2011 CURTISAKBAR@ You don't need a fatal weapon to protect yourself! All you gun loving Americans should realize gun access makes crime easier to commit. Instead of having a fight in school, kids will kill each other. I'm all for the legal use of large hunting rifles that can't be hidden, but handguns are easy to conceal making them the perfect tool for crime. Try to sneak a Huntington rifle onto the MRT, pretty impossible, but Glocks pretty simple. In Britain we banned guns in the early 90s due to school shootings, how many Columbines do you Americans want before you stop being pig-headed and saying 'Guns don't kill, people do'. As for all the B.S 1% of gun crime is committed by people who legally own guns. There is still that 99% of crime committed by people who don't. Pepper spray, tasers and other forms of non-fatal weapons are the best defense. You try to attack me when you got a face full of pepper spray. Guns should remain for law enforcement but considering the incompetence of Taiwanese police... maybe not for them either. September 18, 2011 macfanofgi@ CURTISAKBAR@ wrote: Without a person behind it, a gun will never do anything. Ever. It'll just sit there and gather dust until someone picks it up. Bottom line: I believe people should have the right to bear arms in Taiwan. If for no other reason, China would not want to mess with millions upon millions of armed Taiwanese citizens. Kind of like they wouldn't mess with millions of armed American citizens (like me).You don't need a fatal weapon to protect yourself! All you gun loving Americans should realize gun access makes crime easier to commit. Instead of having a fight in school, kids will kill each other. I'm all for the legal use of large hunting rifles that can't be hidden, but handguns are easy to conceal making them the perfect tool for crime. Try to sneak a Huntington rifle onto the MRT, pretty impossible, but Glocks pretty simple. In Britain we banned guns in the early 90s due to school shootings, how many Columbines do you Americans want before you stop being pig-headed and saying 'Guns don't kill, people do'. As for all the B.S 1% of gun crime is committed by people who legally own guns. There is still that 99% of crime committed by people who don't. Pepper spray, tasers and other forms of non-fatal weapons are the best defense. You try to attack me when you got a face full of pepper spray. Guns should remain for law enforcement but considering the incompetence of Taiwanese police... maybe not for them either. September 19, 2011 conorwhite@ It’s debatable which way works better.... However like anything, it's never a good idea to adapt a more radical wide sweeping change, since you cannot predict the outcome. This is the same debate as for drugs or other hot button issues This means in the US you suddenly don't impose strict gun control and in other countries that have tight gun control you don't just relax it Think about these scenarios: Burglar is going to break into your house. If the gun laws are tightened the burglar may believe that the owner cannot put up a resistance, so may try to break into more homes. Conversely though the burglar may not be expecting a gun fight, so may not come in with guns drawn or read to use. If the gun laws are tightened, then you reverse the above scenarios. So there are different possible outcomes... but I cannot predict what these are. September 19, 2011 lars118@ To all the ex-pat Americans commenting here: If you love your guns so much, go back to the USA and you can carry them all day long. Why try to influence this society with your gun culture values? The rate of violent crime is much lower in Taiwan than the USA. Let's keep it that way. September 19, 2011 conorwhite@ matt.vaughan@ wrote: I guess you have necessary data from studies to support these conclusions regarding prevention of crime and 0% (ZERO)?Taiwan's gun control laws and the reasoning behind them are silly. Taiwan and its citizens would be much safer if the citizens had the option to own and possess firearms. The government agencies that oppose private firearm ownership show a fundamental ignorance of firearms - or maybe they just want it to be easier to control and abuse the citizens of Taiwan by force. In the United States far more crime is prevented by citizens owning firearms. United States citizens that legally own firearms and are trained in the safe use of firearms are accountable for nearly 0% (Zero) of firearm involved crimes. It's time that gun fearing liberals and tyrants are ignored because their thoughts are based on ignorance or possibly on sinister motives. September 20, 2011 carltanong@ Gun ban should stay, just like death penalty for criminals._Guns are not an effective form of self-defense, it can lead to increases in the rates of rape, robbery, and violent crime. _Guns increase the chances of a confrontation escalating and turning lethal. _Guns increase the likelihood of unintended shootings taking place, making it more difficult for LAW ENFORCERS to distinguish criminals from ordinary citizens and to identify perpetrators during a shooting. _Guns intimidate LAW ABIDING citizens. Let the LAW ENFORCERS do their job, that is what the tax payers paid them to safeguard their lives. Let those judges return back to restudy what is the true meaning of LAW, and distinguish between CRIMINALS and LAW ABIDING CITIZENS. And lastly. LET the HRO be fair enough to give justice to the law abiding citizens’ victim rather than to save the lives of the criminal the right to lives as a HUMAN BUTCHERS. September 20, 2011 corexdee@ elumpen@ wrote: In the Philippines, there are lots of guns. There are paltiks (self manufactured guns), 9 mm. 45 caliber etc. If you’re driving a car and you happened to cut off someone with a gun, or in a one way street and you didn't give way, or if you just stare at them in a wrong way. Bang!! Just what happened to a student. They'll follow you or just shoot you on the spot. Here in Taiwan, I see lots of people quarreling over petty things over traffic, or politics. Put some firearms on it and it will be disastrous. Just let the Taiwanese quarrel using mouth and fist, that way they won't hurt other people. It's ok if they shot at somebody and won't miss but a lot of them are near sighted. There will be lots of innocent casualty with this...hahha.....For all you Americans here who think that putting a lethal weapon in the hands of people who can't even steer a scooter in a straight line, I have one word for you: Philippines. If you haven't been there, go, and observe. The US hasn't dissolved in a bloodbath of social chaos BECAUSE it has gun controls. They're not very good controls, and way too many Americans are still killed by guns (usually their own). But at least it has them. The most recent research indicates that gun crimes are usually committed using weapons bought in those states with the most lax controls. September 20, 2011 corexdee@ News flash from the Philippines ...Last Wednesday, September 14, Shiela Macapugay shot and killed her husband, Abel, who worked as a promo merchandiser in an appliance store in SM North Edsa after he left her and their five-year-old daughter for another woman. Warning to those philandering husband in Taiwan...LOL..... September 20, 2011 johnny.brian@ Some politicians like Yu Tien have nothing to do because of his low IQ said that Taiwan should be like the US. Why there is need of handgun to protect themselves? Because Yu Tien is a former singer that has gangsters protection on his back. Is this the best Yu Tien can think of? Well, let me tell him. Instead of local residents owning more guns, he should suggest to put more policemen into the street and more surveillance patrols would definitely reduce crime rate. Strict control of gun is better than owning a handgun to protect themselves. September 25, 2011 olichu@ I agree with Johnny.brian. Police in this country is useless! They sit on their asses all day long except to get up and have a smoke. The government seriously needs to review the role and purpose of the police in this country. September 26, 2011 durani.aamir@ lars118@ wrote: .......Why try to influence this society with your gun culture values? ...To all the ex-pat Americans commenting here: If you love your guns so much, go back to the USA and you can carry them all day long. Why try to influence this society with your gun culture values? The rate of violent crime is much lower in Taiwan than the USA. Let's keep it that way. Valid point. I agree with you. September 27, 2011 blairjames@ CURTISAKBAR@ wrote: I agree. Authorities are having difficulty keeping handguns out of the wrong hands now, how could they possibly ensure getting them into the right hands if handguns were allowed. You don't need a fatal weapon to protect yourself! All you gun loving Americans should realize gun access makes crime easier to commit. Instead of having a fight in school, kids will kill each other. I'm all for the legal use of large hunting rifles that can't be hidden, but handguns are easy to conceal making them the perfect tool for crime. Try to sneak a Huntington rifle onto the MRT, pretty impossible, but Glocks pretty simple. In Britain we banned guns in the early 90s due to school shootings, how many Columbines do you Americans want before you stop being pig-headed and saying 'Guns don't kill, people do'. As for all the B.S 1% of gun crime is committed by people who legally own guns. There is still that 99% of crime committed by people who don't. Pepper spray, tasers and other forms of non-fatal weapons are the best defense. You try to attack me when you got a face full of pepper spray. Guns should remain for law enforcement but considering the incompetence of Taiwanese police... maybe not for them either. BTW American whiners, you weren't born with a gun in your hands, it is therefore NOT your God-given right to own one. To call others "ignorant" in giving their opinions on their own country's laws take arrogance to a new extreme. October 10, 2011 cloggedwithguts@ I wonder what's up with Yu Tian. Does he have a screw loose or something? Typical for a DPP member, they wanted to emulate their neoconservative, right-wing redneck buddies in Alabama and Mississippi. Hence they are gun advocates! October 11, 2011 edrulyn@ Yu Tian has a cockroach mentality typical among most DPP politicians. They are talking without thinking. Maybe because he was a gangster. October 12, 2011 sbenchung@ The US homicide rate, which has declined substantially since 1991 from a rate per 100,000 persons of 9.8 to 4.8 in 2010, is still among the highest in the industrialized world. There were 14,748 murders in the United States in 2010 October 18, 2011 markroc@ sundog50@ wrote: There are not many places in Taiwan that we would fear for our safety, yet we don't have access to guns.Wrong, wackerbeer13! Allowing law-abiding citizens to exercise their right to self defense with the most effective means would not promote crime at all, it would inhibit it. Look to the 35 U.S. states where "shall issue" CCW is the law. They have very few problems with CCW licensees misusing firearms. In fact, CCW licensees have fewer arrests than serving police. I hope that one day Taiwan will allow its citizens the freedom to bear arms. However, 30,000 deaths a year in the USA as a result of guns. HUM?? And you want to arm a nation of peaceful people because you feel the sadistic violent ways of the USA is the way to run a nation. Sick people who want to arm people are all over the place. I just wish you weren't in Taiwan trying to push you pro-gun nonsense on the naive people of this safe nation. October 18, 2011 markroc@ feddoc168@ wrote: Oh, but we don't have mass shootings!!! So, what is your point? You wanna make it legal to have a gun in order to????Bad guys will always find a way to get guns. If Taiwanese people think that strict gun bans will make it difficult for bad guys to get guns, you are delusional. The question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you trust your "good guys" with guns. Gun ban proponents always make claims that more guns will turn a place into the "wild west," and "blood will flow in the streets." But that's simply not true. Here in the US, places with strictest gun laws also are some of the most dangerous places to live. Places where gun laws are relaxed and more common citizens have guns, crime rates seem to be lower. Yes, there will always be sensational cases of mass shootings. Strict gun bans will not stop that. Protect ourselves from others who don't have a gun? Let them fight it out with their fist. Keep the Gun Ban in Place. October 18, 2011 markroc@ feddoc168@ wrote: 8 people gunned down on Seal Beach is sensationalizing????Bad guys will always find a way to get guns. If Taiwanese people think that strict gun bans will make it difficult for bad guys to get guns, you are delusional. The question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you trust your "good guys" with guns. Gun ban proponents always make claims that more guns will turn a place into the "wild west," and "blood will flow in the streets." But that's simply not true. Here in the US, places with strictest gun laws also are some of the most dangerous places to live. Places where gun laws are relaxed and more common citizens have guns, crime rates seem to be lower. Yes, there will always be sensational cases of mass shootings. Strict gun bans will not stop that. sick people October 18, 2011 markroc@ matt.vaughan@ wrote: 30000 gun deaths and 0%.Taiwan's gun control laws and the reasoning behind them are silly. Taiwan and its citizens would be much safer if the citizens had the option to own and possess firearms. The government agencies that oppose private firearm ownership show a fundamental ignorance of firearms - or maybe they just want it to be easier to control and abuse the citizens of Taiwan by force. In the United States far more crime is prevented by citizens owning firearms. United States citizens that legally own firearms and are trained in the safe use of firearms are accountable for nearly 0% (Zero) of firearm involved crimes. It's time that gun fearing liberals and tyrants are ignored because their thoughts are based on ignorance or possibly on sinister motives. In the USA, far more crimes are attempted and committed in the USA than any other weapon. Is that a pretty accurate summation of 0% involved in crimes? The USA, one day, there is gonna be a bloodbath because of so many guns. October 18, 2011 markroc@ olichu@ wrote: Yes let's give them some tasers and pepper spray and they can go harass the common citizen just like the professional cops do in the USA.I agree with Johnny.brian. Police in this country is useless! They sit on their asses all day long except to get up and have a smoke. The government seriously needs to review the role and purpose of the police in this country. If they are doing such a bad job, why is it possible for us to walk down the street at any time of the day or night and not feel threatened of at risk? I like the police in Taiwan. It does seem like this society is so much safer that our police-active aggressive, bullies that we have in the USA. November 23, 2011 blackraven20@ How sad, no rights for citizens to own firearms in Taiwan. I guess the Chinese military will have a lot less to worry about when they invade Taiwan in the not too distant future then. November 23, 2011 dpp4sale@ Let the candidates shoot each other and decide the winner, this will save us time and money for the election.... November 23, 2011 miller.henry641@ There are a lot of myths, false information and outright propaganda being tossed about on this thread.Using the U.S.A. as a control on this topic is flawed from the beginning. The RIGHT to keep and bear arms in embedded in the U.S. Constitution. For a view of FACTS about U.S. citizens and the results of 49, of the 50 states, recognizing the CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT for carry of personal firearms I recommend reading this site: www.http://gunfacts.info/ As to personal firearms possession, concealed or open carry here on Taiwan - NO FREAKIN WAY do I want to see that happen. It takes a level of maturity and personal responsibility to safely do this. The general populace of Taiwan is decades, if not centuries, away from reaching that level. November 23, 2011 major_bob1@ I realize this is an old story, but must say the ignorance on display here is astounding. Especially in regard to gun violence in the US. By the way, the function of a police force is to apprehend a criminal after a crime has been committed. It is the individual's responsibility to protect himself. November 24, 2011 smith@ How differently would Taiwanese history be in regards to the 227 purge and the White Terror if the common people had access to firearms?The logic of the government seems to be "we can't stop illegal firearms, so we will stop legal access to firearms"..???. Apparently someone willing to register a gun legally and notify the government that they have a gun is too unstable and unreliable to own a firearm. Short memories make for bloody history. |
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