Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) and Secretary-General Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) yesterday were called in for questioning by the Special Investigation Division (SID) of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office over the replacement of Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) as the KMT’s presidential candidate.
Hung was also interviewed, but separately from Chu and Lee.
The division launched an investigation after two opposition lawmakers filed lawsuits over Hung’s ouster from the presidential race.
Photo: CNA
Chu and Lee left the SID’s office in Taipei after about two hours, and were greeted by a throng of reporters.
The accusations were “groundless, and had no basis in fact,” Chu told reporters, adding that the entire process had been handled “in an open and transparent manner” at the expedient KMT party congress on Saturday last week.
The procedures had been clearly explained to the public, he said, adding that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was “abusing the resources of the judicial system” by filing the accusations and asking the SID to initiate an investigation.
“These politicians used this ploy to interfere in the election. I very much disagree with their actions. They are causing a lot of damage to Taiwan’s democracy,” Chu said.
“However, I will face all the accusations and rumor-mongering with courage. I believe all voters can see that this is not the proper way to deal with a political party’s chairman and a nominee as candidate for the presidential election, he said.”
DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) filed suit against Chu and Lee on Oct. 7, followed by Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Legislator Chou Ni-an (周倪安), who filed a similar complaint.
The SID said it decided to combine the two lawsuits into one case for the purposes of investigation, with prosecutor Ko Yi-fen (柯宜汾) appointed to handle the case.
Chou and Chen accused Chu and Lee of “so inn a teng” (搓圓仔湯), a commonly used Hoklo (also known as Taiwanese) term that means “kneading to make rice ball soup.”
When used in a political context, the term means schemes involving coaxing a candidate to drop out of a race by offering money, a government position or other enticements.
However, such actions are a violation of Article 84 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act (總統副總統選舉罷免法), which stipulates that “anyone who asks for an expected promise or asks a candidate or a person having the qualification of candidate to abandon the campaign or conduct certain actions on by offering bribes or other undue benefits” is punishable by law.
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