TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A New Party candidate said at a press conference on Friday (Dec. 6) that the party would table an anti-cyberbullying bill if the party successfully secured a legislative seat in the January elections.

Chiu Yi (邱毅), a pro-unification commentator and New Party legislator-at-large candidate, said that the Taiwanese government should establish strict laws to prevent bullying and insults online. He expressed his belief that netizens should be sentenced to five years in prison if they illegally damage the reputation of an individual.

Chiu also voiced his opinion on the recent Slow Yang (楊蕙如) incident and said that he was very disappointed at the punishment Yang would have to face if found guilty. Chiu said Yang's charge of insulting a public office carried too few consequences to stop inappropriate comments online, reported Liberty Times.

To effectively discourage internet users with bad intentions, Chiu suggested adding caning to the criminal justice system. He said that the punishment would be applied when an online remark led an individual to commit suicide or when it targeted an underage person, reported CNA.

New Party spokesman Wang Ping-chung (王炳忠) urged the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to back the anti-cyberbullying proposal. He called it "an opportunity from Heaven" for the DPP to distance itself from connections with Yang.



New Party legislator-at-large candidate Chiu Yi. (CNA photo)