A group of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers yesterday suggested amending the party's anti-corruption regulations that would prevent Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
"I will propose a special clause to exclude the `black gold clause' regulation's influence on Ma, should the worst case scenario occur and he is indicted," KMT Legislator Alex Tsai (
The KMT's "black gold exclusion clause," which was amended under Ma's chairmanship in the hope of improving the party's image and integrity, states that any member may be suspended if they are indicted.
PHOTO: LIAO CHEN-HUEI, TAIPEI TIMES
Tsai said yesterday that the investigation into Ma's handling of his allowance was "wrong," as the problems had arisen out of a "flawed system" rather than "corruption."
"There has been a strong reaction [to the accusations against Ma], with many people saying they couldn't bear seeing Ma being treated so unjustly," Tsai said.
Tsai said he didn't discuss the idea with Ma in advance.
"Even though Ma is against this, I still insist that a special clause should be enacted," he said.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
"If we want to do this, should the special clause be ex post-facto? For example, would it apply to Cheng Yung-chin (
Cheng, the Hsinchu County commissioner, was indicted by Hsinchu District Prosecutor's Office on Aug. 9 on suspicion of accepting bribes from construction companies. He was then suspended by the KMT.
Ma and the party's highest decision-making committee yesterday disapproved of Tsai's idea, agreeing that the move would place Ma in an difficult position.
"Chairman Ma was totally against changing the party's regulations for his benefit alone," KMT Spokesman Huang Yu-cheng (黃玉振) said after the party's weekly Central Standing Committee yesterday.
Huang said that all of the committee's members opposed Tsai's proposal to amend the regulations, while stating their belief in Ma's innocence.
Although Ma was said to have disagreed with the proposal, he did not strongly oppose the idea earlier in the morning, saying that he would allow the party to decide whether or not the regulations should be changed.
"These are our party's regulations. It should be left for the party to decide [whether or not to amend the regulations]," Ma told the reporters while attending a municipal event.
Asked to comment on objections to the proposal expressed by several party legislators, Ma said all kinds of opinions would be included in the party's discussion.
During yesterday's meeting, Ma continued to stress his innocence to party members and urged the KMT to unite in what is a difficult time.
"It would be unjust if my handling of the mayoral special allowance fund was viewed as corruption. It would also be an insult to the 6,500 local chiefs around the country," Ma said at the meeting.
Arguing that amending the clause was "redundant," KMT Legislator Shuai Hua-ming (
"Does the KMT have another presidential candidate? Is there a presidential candidate with more integrity than Chairman Ma in Taiwan?" he asked at the KMT headquarters.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Shih-cheng (
DPP Legislator Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said that if the KMT wanted to modify its regulations for Ma, it meant that they knew there was something wrong with his handling of his special allowance and that he may be indicted as a result.
Additional reporting by Flora Wang
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in