DPP legislator-elect says his son was victimized

"Anyone who heard [Ma's] comment knew what he really meant. We regret Legislator Yu's promotion of hatred."

Wang Yu-chi, a campaign spokesman for KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou

Well-known former entertainer and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator-elect Yu Tien (余天) said yesterday that a man had attacked his son for political reasons.

Yu Tien's son, Ken Yu (余祥銓), 24, told police he was in Wufenpu (五分埔), Taipei, with his girlfriend on Saturday night when he got into an argument with a driver surnamed Tsai who had almost hit his girlfriend with his car in a parking lot.

Ken Yu said he asked Tsai to apologize, but the man became angry and attacked him. Ken Yu said two of Tsai's friends joined in the assault.

Ken Yu told police the trio had said: "So this is the son of a legislator?"

Police said Ken Yu visited a hospital for treatment after the incident. Afterwards, accompanied by his father, he went to a police station to file charges against his alleged attackers.

Yu Tien said he suspected his narrow defeat of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) opponent Chu Chun-hsiao (朱俊曉) in the Jan. 12 legislative elections might have prompted the attack on his son.

Tsai, 60, told police yesterday that Ken Yu had struck him and his car before he retaliated.

Tsai, who showed his injuries to police, filed charges against Ken Yu.

Noting that KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had said earlier last week that he would avenge Chu, Yu Tien said "the revenge has now taken place."

Approached for comment in Kaohsiung, Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦), a Ma campaign spokesman, said the only "revenge" Ma had in mind was winning the presidential election on March 22.

"Anyone who heard [Ma's] comment knew what he really meant," Wang said. "We regret Legislator Yu's promotion of hatred."

Additional reporting by Flora Wang