The KMT's Evaluation and Discipline Committee yesterday expelled seven party members because they were seeking office under the banners of rival parties in the Dec. 1 legislative elections.
The memberships of four others were revoked for campaigning in local government races without a party nomination or campaigning for the candidates of rival parties.
The move is another mass disciplinary action on the part of the KMT, following the August expulsion of 11 members who defected to the Taiwan Solidarity Union.
The committee's chairman, Chen Kang-chin (陳庚金), explained that his committee decided to expel the seven because running for office under the banner of rival parties is considered a more serious offense than running without the party's nomination.
Although both "expulsion" and "revocation of membership" mean ouster from the party, an expulsion is a more sever punishment, according to KMT rules.
Those who have their membership revoked can have it restored one year later. Members who are expelled are not allowed to rejoin until two years after their ouster.
Of the seven expelled, four are representing the People First Party in the December poll.
They are Lu Chun-hung (呂鈞鴻), who is running in Taipei County, and three others who won the PFP's nomination for legislator-at-large: Lin Huei-kwung (林惠官), president of the Chinese Federation of Labor (中華民國全國總工會), Ku Chung-lien (顧崇廉), former commander-in-chief of the ROC Navy, and Alfred Chen (陳飛龍), the chairman of Namchow Chemical (南僑化工).
The other three are representing the Taiwan Solidarity Union. The first is Eric Wu (吳東昇), chairman of the Taiwan Securities Co (台證綜合證券公司) and a former KMT legislator, who is on the TSU's slate of legislator-at-large candidates. The second is Taoyuan County Council speaker Huang Chin-teh (黃金德), who has registered to run for the legislature in Taoyuan County. The third is Lin Wen-sheng (林文生) who is chief of the Taichung County's Hoping Township and who is running for an Aboriginal seat.
Fengshan Mayor Huang Pa-yeh (黃八野), who insists on running for Kaohsiung County commissioner despite defeat in opinion polls to party nominee Wu Kuang-hsun (吳光訓), had his membership revoked. In the same boat is Chiayi County Government adviser Chen Sheng-san (陳勝三), who is running for Chiayi County commissioner after the party nominated Wong Chung-chun (翁重鈞) for the post.
The membership of legislator Tseng Chen-nung (曾振農) was revoked for campaigning for the DPP's candidate for Chiayi County commissioner, Chen Ming-wen (陳明文).
Yen Yao-hsing (顏耀星), deputy head of the KMT's Tainan County division, received the same punishment as Tseng for campaigning for the DPP's candidate for Tainan County commissioner, Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智).
Meanwhile, violations of discipline by legislator Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉) and Kinmen County commissioner Chen Shui-tsai (陳水在) were not handled during yesterday's meeting because their local divisions have not recommended to the committee what punishment to give them, according to Chen Kang-chin.
Both politicians registered to run in the legislative elections on Thursday without the party's nomination.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from