Lai outlines plans for tougher drug-driving penalties in National Day address

Taipei, Oct. 10 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) outlined plans Saturday to toughen penalties for drug-impaired driving, as part of a National Day address setting out measures to strengthen public safety and support families.

"The government will strictly enforce the law and show zero tolerance," Lai said in his address outside the Presidential Office.

Under proposed legal amendments, first-time offenders caught driving under the influence of drugs will face fines of up to NT$150,000, while those who refuse roadside testing will face a NT$270,000 fine, he said

Repeat offenders will face unlimited fines, license revocation and vehicle forfeiture. Passengers riding with drug-impaired drivers will also be subject to fines, he said.

The government will step up drug enforcement, strengthen rehabilitation and education, trace drugs to their source, and introduce rapid saliva tests at roadside checks to identify drug-impaired drivers.

On fraud prevention, Lai said the Executive Yuan's anti-fraud command center has become a permanent body, coordinating efforts to disrupt scams, from online advertising to the movement of money.

Turning to Taiwan's declining birthrate, Lai said the government plans to introduce a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 (US$156) starting next year for every child from birth until age 18.

The allowance will be accompanied by expanded childcare services, more family-friendly workplaces and housing assistance, he added.

"Families should not have to raise children all on their own. To support a family is to safeguard Taiwan's future," Lai said.

Through the Healthy Taiwan initiative, the government will seek to help people live healthier lives, he said, highlighting cancer screening and in-home care as well as improvements in working conditions for medical staff.

The Long-term Care 3.0 plan launched this year is intended to bring medical and community services together so older people can receive care in familiar surroundings, while easing pressure on family caregivers, he said.

On housing, Lai said the government will continue its program supporting 1 million renter households by expanding supply and providing rental assistance.

A larger proportion of social housing will be reserved for newlyweds and families with young children, and the government will raise the amount those families can borrow under the Preferential Housing Loans for the Youth 3.0 program, he said.

Lai pledged to advance gender equality, noting that Taiwan was the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. No one should be excluded because of gender, ethnicity, background or identity, he said.

He celebrated Taiwan's athletes at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, thanking them for showing the world the country's resilience and pride.

Lai praised Yu Kai-wen (余凱文) and Huang Shih-yuan (黃詩媛) for winning Taiwan's first gold medal of the Games in soft tennis mixed doubles.

He highlighted swimmer Wang Kuan-hung's (王冠閎) gold, Taiwan's first Asian Games swimming gold medal in 28 years, and high jumper Fu Chao-hsuan's (傅兆玄) victory, the nation's first men's athletics gold at the Games in 60 years.

Boxer Lin Yu-ting's (林郁婷) second consecutive Asian Games gold and Taiwan's gold-silver sweep in women's tennis doubles were among the other achievements Lai praised. Hsieh Su-wei (謝淑薇) and Liang En-shuo (梁恩碩) won gold, while Chan Hao-ching (詹皓晴) and Wu Fang-hsien (吳芳嫺) took silver.

With local elections approaching, Lai urged voters to choose capable leaders and resist threats and inducements. Political competition and differing opinions should not divide Taiwan, he said.

A president's authority comes from the people's trust, he added, noting that his responsibility is to unite their strengths and lead the country forward.