Keelung: A Keelung man has been sentenced to two months in prison for calling a city service hotline and threatening to kill Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang over an unresolved issue with water provision to his home.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Keelung District Court recently delivered a verdict against the man, surnamed Chang, who called the city's 1999 citizen hotline at 7 a.m. on March 14 last year due to frustration over an ongoing water supply issue. During the call, Chang threatened Mayor Hsieh by name and warned of potential violence at Keelung City Hall if he was disturbed again.

The hotline worker alerted the police, and Chang, later questioned by authorities, admitted to making the threats. Mayor Hsieh informed prosecutors of his awareness of the threat but indicated he was not frightened by it.

Chang was charged under Article 151 of the Criminal Code for endangering public safety by instilling fear of injury among the public, rather than specifically threatening Mayor Hsieh. The court acknowledged Chang's awareness during the threats but noted his physical disability, which may have affected his self-control.

The court sentenced Chang to two months of imprisonment, which can be commuted to a fine of NT$60,000 (US$1,912), a punishment less severe than the maximum two-year prison sentence permitted by law.