KMT to discipline errant colleagues

The KMT's Evaluation and Discipline Committee is set to meet today to hand down punishments for a group of rebel legislators, with at least five serial offenders expected to be kicked out of the party.

Facing punishments today are those who took part in last week's confirmation ballots for top government posts as well as those voting against the party's will in two other ballots that took place in February.

Chen Kang-chin (陳庚金), the committee's director-general said yesterday that the committee would not give the mavericks a chance to defend themselves, as their violations have been proven.

Chen said many KMT members have reacted strongly to the disobedient conduct of the legislators and have urged the party to discipline them immediately.

Chen said now that it is an opposition party, the KMT does not care about losing a few seats in the legislature.

It would threaten KMT morale and unity if the party allows the rebels to remain, Chen added.

The KMT has threatened disciplinary action five times in the latest legislative session.

These include the three ballots for Examination Yuan president and vice president, grand justices and Control Yuan members last week, in which the KMT ordered its legislators to boycott the nominations.

Also on the list is the Feb. 1 elections for Legislative Yuan speaker and vice speaker, in which KMT legislators were required to vote in favor of the party's candidates. The other is the Feb. 19 ballot on reconsidering the KMT-proposed amendments to the Law Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法), in which the legislators were instructed to uphold the amendments.

Those subject to punishments for the five ballots are Lu Shin-ming (呂新民), Lin Pin-kuan (林炳坤), Chen Chin-ting (陳進丁), Yang Wen-hsin (楊文欣), Lin Chin-chun (林進春), Lin Nan-sheng (林南生), Tseng Hua-te (曾華德), Yang Jen-fu (楊仁福), Liao Kuo-tung (廖國棟), Chen Ken-te (陳根德), Chen Hung-chang (陳宏昌), Tseng Tsai Mei-tso (曾蔡美佐) and Chen Li-hui (陳麗惠).

Of these legislators, Lin Pin-kuan and Chen Chin-ting have been cited for four violations; Lu and Lin Chin-chun for three violations; and Yang Wen-hsin for two.

Meanwhile, though Lin Nan-sheng was involved in only one case, his vote was considered crucial, contributing to the confirmation of Yao Chia-wen's (姚嘉文) appointment as Examination Yuan president. While Yao won the confirmation with 113 votes -- the minimum number to reach the threshold, Lin voted minutes before the deadline.

KMT officials said, based on the severity of the violations of the legislators, an expulsion is almost definite for the five serial offenders and Lin Nan-sheng.

As for first offenders, they may be admonished or have their membership rights suspended, officials said.