Kaohsiung civic groups demanded harsh punishment yesterday for officials involved in the bribery scandal in the election of the city council's speaker and vice speaker in December.
The council's assembly convened on Tuesday, when TSU lawmakers, hundreds of residents and civic groups protested in front of the council building.
The demonstrators said they lack confidence in council members' honesty.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Cheng Cheng-yu (
Cheng said those who were involved in vote-buying could be sentenced up to five years in prison and a face fines of up to NT$4 million.
Most punishments for buying votes, Cheng said, result in either suspended sentences or fines.
Chen said that out of 315 legal precedents for vote-buying, only six cases had resulted in prison terms of more than two years.
"This is unacceptable," Cheng said.
Kaohsiung City Council Speaker Chu An-hsiung (朱安雄) and his deputy Tsai Song-hsiung (蔡松雄) were elected last December. Prosecutors are still investigating the scandal.
Prosecutors say the investigation has found that all but six members of the 44-seat council were involved in the scandal.
Some councilors, including Chu and Tsai, are still in custody, but none of the councilors have been brought to trial.
Social activists plan to visit the Kaohsiung District Court to remind judges of the importance of punishing corrupt council members.
"Most corrupt council members don't even want to mend their ways," Cheng said.
He added that activists would likely visit Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (
The city council continued its assembly yesterday without the same interference from the chaotic demonstration it witnessed on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, acting council speaker Tseng Chang-fa (曾長發) said that the posting of a paper strip seal on the front door of the council by TSU legislators broke the law.
Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (
Meanwhile, activists expressed their disappointment at the council's disregard for public opposition.
"We don't think corrupt councilors represent Kaohsiung residents," said Yang Ping-yu (
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