The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said prosecutors have failed to investigate alleged vote-buying by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Apollo Chen (陳學聖) in the Taoyuan County by-election.
DPP officials said Chen turned a dinner on Saturday held by outgoing Jhongli Mayor Ye Bu-liang (葉步樑) into an election event to bribe voters. DPP candidate Huang Jen-chu (黃仁杼) and DPP Secretary-General Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) took details of their allegations to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors’ Office on Monday.
Speaking to reporters, party spokesman Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) called it “a clear case of the KMT tampering with the judicial system” and said the DPP would continue to look into the matter.
PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
“So far, we have seen no action or investigation by prosecutors despite all the evidence we have submitted,” Lin said. “We believe the KMT is meddling in the affair by using its administrative powers.”
The allegations were supported by DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who said yesterday that the KMT was resorting to its “traditional tactics of vote-buying, tampering with investigations and engaging in money and power exchanges.”
She called for the KMT to fight a clean battle before Saturday’s by-elections in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Chiayi and Hualien counties.
This was not the only allegation of vote-buying or corruption this week.
In a televised political debate between the contenders for the Taoyuan County by-election on Tuesday, Chen took aim at Huang and said he had misappropriated NT$1 million (US$31,000) in funds earmarked for Jhongli City schools during his tenure as a city councilor. The case is also under investigation.
Both allegations came after media reports said both parties would increase their focus on the race for the Taoyuan legislative seat.
While the area has traditionally voted KMT, DPP officials said they hoped President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) low approval ratings could change that.
Tsai said that while the party was confident of its chances in Chiayi and Hsinchu, it would continue to be cautious in Hualien and Taoyuan. She identified the two counties as a priority for the party.
DPP headquarters yesterday pledged to devote more resources — including additional visits by Tsai — to the area. It said it would send 30 additional campaign workers to help candidates in Taoyuan and Hsinchu.
“We are in control of the Chiayi elections, any wins in the other counties would make history for the DPP,” Lin said.
Meanwhile, KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung (金溥聰) said yesterday the KMT had not given up on any of the four counties.
Party officials, including Ma, newly installed spokesman and director of the party’s Cultural and Communication Committee Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) and himself will spend the last two days campaigning in those counties, King said.
As to the five municipality elections in December, King said the KMT would seek to finalize its candidates through negotiations and polls. Primaries are unlikely to be held.
“The DPP will announce its candidates in May. We will finalize our candidates [before then],” he said.
King declined to confirm whether the party had invited Education Minister Wu Ching-chi (吳清基) to run in the Tainan election or whether Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) would seek re-election, and said the party would make a formal announcement once the candidates are chosen.
Talking to reporters in Tainan, Wu said he preferred to stay in the educational field and did not intend to join the race.
“I can do more for the nation if I stay in the Ministry of Education. I hope everyone understands my passion for and willingness to dedicate myself to education,” Wu said.
In other news, the DPP said yesterday it hoped to make advances in the municipal council speaker elections on Monday.
The vote will take place in the 17 counties and cities that held local elections in December.
Party officials said that while municipal councils have historically been controlled by the KMT, they were optimistic the DPP would make some gains.
The DPP controls 128 county or city council seats, against 289 by the KMT.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG AND MO YAN-CHIH
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