A Cabinet official yesterday admitted it was “improper” for a deputy minister to publicly endorse Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Sinbei mayoral candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) during a government-run cultural festival on the weekend.
Council for Hakka Affairs Deputy Minister Liu Tung-lung (劉東隆) was on government business and used his official title when he made the announcement at this year’s Taipei County Hakka Culture Festival on Sunday, Council for Hakka Affairs Minister Huang Yu-chen (黃玉振) said.
“It’s true that it was not appropriate [for him] to stump for any particular candidate on stage,” Huang told the legislature.
PHOTO: HE YU-HUA, TAIPEI TIMES
“He also feels this was improper and … we are a bit sorry,” Huang said, declining to make a full apology.
Liu has been advised to watch his words more carefully in future, he said.
An ardent Chu supporter, the Council for Hakka Affairs deputy minister has been seen at election events in support of the mayoral candidate. Last month, he appeared with Public Construction Commission Minister Fan Liang-shiow (范良銹) at a weekend election event for Hakka voters.
Hakka should give Chu their full support, he reportedly said at the Oct. 17 event.
Chu, he said, would help the development of Hakka issues in Sinbei City, the name Taipei County will be known by after it is renamed next month.
During Sunday’s event, which drew thousands, Liu said that Chu was a candidate that “Hakka could trust.”
He also praised the candidate’s record in government, saying he had advanced Hakka issues during his eight years as a Taoyuan County commissioner.
Defending his actions against claims that he violated rules on government neutrality at the Taipei County Government-run event, Liu said his remarks were not a problem because as an appointed official he had “an obligation to endorse the ruling party’s policies and candidates.”
At separate election event yesterday, Chu told reporters it was common for appointed officials to stump for political candidates during their time off, such as during holidays and weekends.
“Whether it’s the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] or the KMT, it is all the same,” he said.
However, he also said he would respect the rigorous standards placed by the public on political figures.
Sunday’s incident was the latest in a string of accusations that officials and government agencies have violated rules on political neutrality when stumping for Chu’s campaign.
The Taipei Times on Oct. 12 reported that a media statement in support of the candidate signed by the KMT county caucus and sent out by Chu’s campaign team was written by the Taoyuan County Government. Early last month, his opponent, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), raised questions after Chu asked sitting Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) to act as his campaign chairman.
Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦), a spokesperson for Tsai’s campaign, said yesterday that Sunday’s incident was another “flagrant violation” of government neutrality rules.
Under Article 7 of the Civil Service Administrative Neutrality Act (公務人員行政中立法), government officials are prohibited from engaging in political content during work hours or during other events related to their official role. Article 9 also prohibits civil servants from endorsing political candidates publicly.
“[Liu’s] lack of understanding of the relevant laws make him an unqualified government official,” Cheng said. “Based on his remarks, it’s clear that he still doesn’t understand where he went wrong.”
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