The KMT filed a defamation suit against DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday, who earlier suggested that the KMT backed the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant for corrupt reasons.
"We gave Hsieh an opportunity to apologize after he made his irrational statement on Sept. 30, but he was not willing to admit his mistake," said KMT spokesman Jason Hu (胡志強) at the party's headquarters.
"The KMT has to protect its reputation, so we expect Hsieh to take full legal responsibility," Hu said.
KMT official Tsai Cheng-yuan (
Tainan is the city where Hsieh made his statement about the KMT.
"What Hsieh said insulted not only the KMT but also former president Lee Teng-hui (
Several hundred supporters from both the KMT and DPP camps displayed banners and hurled abuse at each other in front of the prosecutor's office yesterday. A scuffle broke out at one point, but police prevented a clash by quickly intervening.
Meanwhile, Hsieh reacted to questions about the KMT's lawsuit by saying that what he had meant by "the KMT" in his remark was "the KMT government."
"According to the DPP's experience of acting as watchdog over the former government, it is reasonable to suspect that some form of corruption has surrounded the NT$200 billion plant," Hsieh said.
Addressing a party anniversary event in Tainan on Sept. 30, Hsieh told DPP supporters that "the KMT is corrupt in many things, even when buying a pair of socks or a lunch box, not to mention the NT$200 billion Fourth Nuclear Power Plant. They [the KMT] must have been corrupt on this as well."
Hsieh said yesterday that the former KMT government had been involved in many corruption scandals over the decades, pointing to local public construction projects and the procurement of Lafayette-class frigates.
"Therefore, we said that there exists a `reasonable doubt' in respect to the nuclear power plant case," Hsieh said. "Besides, the nuclear power plant issue is a public one on which anybody may comment."
Tsai said later that Hsieh's remarks were not proper in a "public issue debate," but were only an excuse to "spread rumors and make trouble."
Some DPP members said that the KMT's move was timed to whip up support for a KMT-backed presidential recall bid.
"The atmosphere for recalling President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) is obviously softening now that Chen has offered a public apology, and even some KMT lawmakers and officials advocate giving the president another chance," said DPP lawmaker Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁). "So the KMT leaders are trying to remind their members about Hsieh's remarks to keep them aware of who the enemy is," Chen said.
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