Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday reiterated that he would resign as party chairman if he is indicted on corruption charges connected with the mayoral special allowance fund investigation.
After being questioned by Taipei prosecutors over his handling of the mayoral allowance fund for a second time on Thursday, Ma, who doubles as Taipei mayor, met with Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday morning to discuss the matter.
"I told the speaker, as I have already said, that I will resign [as party chairman] if I am indicted," Ma told reporters after the meeting at Wang's residence in Taipei.
Ma said he and Wang agreed during the meeting that the controversy involving Ma's handling of the allowance had resulted from outdated government regulations that have been followed for decades and that should be reformulated.
Ma denied remarks from KMT Secretary-General Chan Chun-po (詹春柏) on Thursday that if Ma were indicted, he would be suspended from his duties as KMT chairman but his position kept intact.
Ma said that Chan said the KMT should follow party regulations and decide whether to elect a new chairman if he resigned.
Wang, on the other hand, said he would respect the chairman's decision, but he denied that the two had touched upon who should replace Ma if he resigns.
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