Chang Chia-jun Establishes Religious Support Group to Protect Temple Property and Promote Senior Care

The Chang Chia-chun Religious Group Support Association was officially established today (the 1st) in Yunlin County, with its founding venue chosen at the renowned local Sihu San-tiao-lun Hai-ching Temple. The association is led by Su Chin-chih, chairman of the temple, who is well-known in Taiwan's religious community for "safeguarding tradition and culture." This move serves as a political maneuver by Kuomintang (KMT) Yunlin County magistrate candidate Chang Chia-chun, demonstrating an intent to leverage the influence of religious groups to expand his local base and voter support.

Chang Chia-chun has served as a Yunlin County councilor since 2018 and became county council speaker in 2021, accumulating rich local administrative experience. As a key figure within the KMT caucus, his electoral platform centers on "stabilizing the economy and improving public services," with an emphasis on supporting agriculture and fisheries. The population of Yunlin County is predominantly agricultural, and with a pronounced aging trend in recent years, voters pay high attention to senior welfare and infrastructure. By establishing this religious support group, Chang aims to combine religion with community services, further consolidating his local political network.

As an important temple in the Yunlin area, the Sihu San-tiao-lun Hai-ching Temple is not only a center of faith but also a symbol of community cohesion. In recent years, numerous temples in Taiwan have fallen into legal disputes due to unclear property titles and land use rights controversies, impacting religious activities and cultural preservation. During the establishment of the support association, Chairman Su Chin-chih put forward a commitment to "strengthen the protection of temple property rights," aiming to ensure through legal and administrative coordination that the property and usage rights of temples remain free from external interference. This commitment not only protects the traditions of religious groups but also helps stabilize local social order.

Another commitment is to "create an age-friendly temple courtyard," which echoes the fact that the elderly population accounts for approximately one-third of Yunlin County's total population. As an important gathering and social space for seniors, if the courtyard can be equipped with barrier-free facilities and comfortable rest areas, it will significantly enhance the participation and satisfaction of older adults. Through this commitment, Chang attempts to attract elderly votes in the election while demonstrating attentiveness to the needs of community seniors.

The role of religious groups in Taiwan's politics has long attracted significant attention. Although Taiwan's Constitution guarantees religious freedom, the political participation of religious groups often sparks discussions regarding the "separation of religion and politics." The establishment of such support associations can both mobilize the power of followers and be criticized as a practice of "using religious resources as political leverage." For Yunlin County, if Chang can genuinely fulfill these two commitments, it will help improve the quality of local governance; if he falls short, it could become a basis for voters to question his sincerity and capability. Overall, the establishment of the religious group support association is not only part of Chang's electoral strategy, but also reflects the complexity and diversity of the integration between local politics and religious society in Taiwan.