Kaohsiung prosecutors said yesterday they were investigating whether or not a Kaohsiung councilor has been holding dual citizenship.
People First Party City Councilor Yang Se-yu (楊色玉) has been overseas since last month and has asked members of her family to help her resign her councilor post.
Kaohsiung prosecutors said they launched an investigation after receiving a complaint alleging that Yang holds Canadian citizenship. The complaint said Yang gained Canadian citizenship after her daughter became a Canadian citizen, they said.
Documents show Yang received about NT$80 million (US$2.7 million) in salary, research fees, assistant fees and other subsidies for being a councilor over the last 15 years, the prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said they have also asked the National Immigration Agency for a copy of records of Yang’s entering and leaving the country.
Prosecutors said they would summon Yang for questioning and if she failed to appear, she would be put on the wanted list.
Yang’s family rebutted the dual citizenship allegation, saying Yang quit her post because she wanted to take classes abroad and improve her health.
The Nationality Act (國籍法) bans government officials from holding foreign citizenship and requires those who do to renounce it before assuming office.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Kaohsiung City Councilor Huang Shao-ting (黃紹庭) was investigated and removed from his post in September for holding US citizenship.
Taipei District Court judges last month also found former KMT legislator Diane Lee (李慶安) guilty of fraud and forgery for holding US citizenship when serving as an elected official and sentenced her to two years in prison. Lee can still appeal the case.
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