First lady Wu Shu-jen (
The DPP's Central Evaluation Committee announced the suspensions after reaching a unanimous decision. The decision took immediate effect.
It is DPP policy that members are subject to suspension of their party rights if they are indicted.
Wu has been indicted on corruption and forgery charges, while former Presidential Office deputy general-secretary Ma Yung-cheng (
The committee came under fire last Thursday when it failed to address the issue because a quorum could not be reached. The committee had planned to tackle the matter after the Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections, but met yesterday in response to media and public pressure.
All 11 members of the committee attended yesterday's meeting.
DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (
While Wu and the three aides did not attend the meeting, former presidential aide Chiang Chih-ming (
Chiang, a former chairman of the evaluation committee of the DPP's Taipei chapter, said that the matter should be handled by the Taipei chapter rather than the Central Evaluation Committee, as the four people were "regular party members," rather than administrative chiefs or elected officials.
Gao disagreed, saying that Ma and Lin were "important government officials" and that their cases could be dealt with as a single case because of their close connections.
It would therefore be inappropriate to let the party's Taipei chapter handle the matter, he said.
Gao, who doubles up as the committee's chairman, did not chair yesterday's meeting, citing his close relationship with the president.
Gao is a former secretary-general of the now disbanded Justice Alliance, which was co-founded by President Chen.
Gao said that he was not trying to shirk responsibility, but would like to avoid unnecessary speculation and establish a precedent to ensure the committee's impartiality.
DPP Legislator Tu Wen-ching (杜文卿) was elected acting chair.
The committee decided to deal with cases involving two other party members, Yen Wan-chin (顏萬進) and Lin Chung-cheng (林忠正), at its next meeting.
Yen, former vice minister of the interior, was indicted for receiving bribes in connection with the construction of a cable car system and other scandals.
Prosecutors suspect that Lin Chung-cheng, who is in police custody, accepted bribes in return for insider information on the stock market, to which he had access as a Financial Supervisory Commission member.
MAKING WAVES: China’s maritime militia could become a nontraditional threat in war, clogging up shipping lanes to prevent US or Japanese intervention, a report said About 1,900 Chinese ships flying flags of convenience and fishing vessels that participated in China’s military exercises around Taiwan last month and in January last year have been listed for monitoring, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said yesterday. Following amendments to the Commercial Port Act (商港法) and the Law of Ships (船舶法) last month, the CGA can designate possible berthing areas or deny ports of call for vessels suspected of loitering around areas where undersea cables can be accessed, Oceans Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said. The list of suspected ships, originally 300, had risen to about
DAREDEVIL: Honnold said it had always been a dream of his to climb Taipei 101, while a Netflix producer said the skyscraper was ‘a real icon of this country’ US climber Alex Honnold yesterday took on Taiwan’s tallest building, becoming the first person to scale Taipei 101 without a rope, harness or safety net. Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-story skyscraper to watch Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix. Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold swiftly moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building. At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos. People watching from inside
Japan’s strategic alliance with the US would collapse if Tokyo were to turn away from a conflict in Taiwan, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday, but distanced herself from previous comments that suggested a possible military response in such an event. Takaichi expressed her latest views on a nationally broadcast TV program late on Monday, where an opposition party leader criticized her for igniting tensions with China with the earlier remarks. Ties between Japan and China have sunk to the worst level in years after Takaichi said in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese
STREAMLINED: The dedicated funding would allow the US to transfer equipment to Taiwan when needed and order upgraded replacements for stockpiles, a source said The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a defense appropriations bill totaling US$838.7 billion, of which US$1 billion is to be allocated to reinforcing security cooperation with Taiwan and US$150 million to replace defense articles provided to the nation. These are part of the Consolidated Appropriation Act, which the US House yesterday passed with 341 votes in favor and 88 against. The act must be passed by the US Senate before Friday next week to avoid another government shutdown. The US House Committee on Appropriations on Monday unveiled the act, saying that it allocates US$1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative
RSS