Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) caused an uproar on the Internet yesterday after allegedly throwing a receipt in the face of a customer service representative.
In an article posted on the Gossip Board of the Professional Technology Temple — the largest college bulletin board system (BBS) in Taiwan — an Internet user alleged that Lu went to a department store in Hsinchu on Friday night, where he bought a NT$58,000 suit.
While Lu allegedly paid NT$8,000 in cash and NT$50,000 in gift certificates, a clerk at the department store’s information counter gave Lu a receipt that only documented the cash amount.
After Lu allegedly asked the clerk to explain the contents of the receipt, the latter told him the department store had already issued receipts for the gift certificates when they were purchased.
Despite the explanation, Lu allegedly threw the receipt in the clerk’s face, demanding that the store manager contact him to provide an explanation.
The article generated widespread criticism of Lu, with Netizens accusing him of being arrogant and others saying they were not surprised because Lu was a KMT member.
Approached by reporters, Lu denied the accusations, saying he only confronted the clerk over inconsistencies between the receipt and the amount of money he spent.
“The receipt is not a heavy object. It would be impossible to throw it in someone’s face,” he said, adding that he suspected the department store may be engaging in tax evasion.
The 58-year-old Lu is no stranger to controversy.
During clashes at the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee on April 26 over bills that would open Taiwan to Chinese students, Lu pushed Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) to the ground while Chiu was yelling “shame on [President] Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九)” and “shame on the KMT administration.”
Lu later said he would not apologize to Chiu unless Chiu apologized for what he said were inappropriate remarks, adding that he only used “one-tenth” of his strength in pushing Chiu.
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