Newsmakers: DPP legislator sidestepping problems in his private life

"He must not allow a woman to damage his political career for a second time," Shih said.

Joining the DPP

In 1986, Cheng lost his bid to win a third legislative term and joined the DPP the next year to steer its Taipei County chapter.

In 1989 Cheng again campaigned for a seat in the legislature and won. During the next three years, he had his share of physical bouts with KMT law-makers when brawls were a hallmark of legislative culture.

After losing his seat in 1992, Cheng repeatedly sought to return to the legislature but was unsuccessful until last year.

Minister of Interior Yu Cheng-hsien (余正憲), head of the DPP's Justice Alliance faction, of which Cheng is a member, said he has tried to contact Cheng last week but to no avail. He said Cheng would not answer his mobile phone, whose voicemail box is jam-packed with messages.

DPP headquarters has also received many phone calls from people wanting to protest Cheng's alleged infidelity.

But DPP Deputy Secretary-General Michael You (游盈隆) said that the party is not in a position to interfere with its members' domestic affairs.

Another party worker, who declined to be named, describes the criticism as hypocritical, saying that the party does not have an anti-adultery clause in its charter.

Cheng's alleged romance promises to add strength to the notion that the legislature is prone to scandal.