Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Greater Taichung mayoral candidate Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) yesterday filed lawsuits in response to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Yi’s (邱毅) allegations that Su plagiarized part of his master’s thesis.
Su filed lawsuits for slander and violating the Election and -Recall Act (選舉罷免法) with Taichung prosecutors after Chiu made the allegations during a press conference at the legislature earlier in the day.
Chiu said that in 2001, Su submitted a master’s thesis titled, “An analysis of sustainable use and management of groundwater resources — the Pingtung Plain sample,” to National Sun Yat-sen University’s Department of Public Affairs in Kaohsiung.
Part of Su’s thesis, Chiu alleged, plagiarized an article published in 1999 titled, “Sustainable use of Taiwan’s water resources” authored by professors Chen Yung-sen (陳永森) and Chen Chang-po (陳章波).
Chiu said he would send a letter of complaint to the Ministry of Education and National Sun Yat-sen University asking them to revoke Su’s master’s degree.
Chiu said that Su and Chen Yung-sen had a close relationship. After Su received his master’s degree, Chen Yung-sen married the daughter of Su’s older brother, Chiu said, adding that Chen then served as Su’s sectary and office director when Su was minister of the interior.
Coming to Su’s defense, Chen Yung-sen told a press conference at Su’s campaign headquarters that he had released his article at an academic seminar hosted by Su.
“I discussed the contents of my article with Su and he also made his research available to me before publication. As a result, the research results belong to both of us and Su did not plagiarize my work,” Chen Yung-sen said.
Su’s spokesman, Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), said since Su referenced the article as a source in his thesis, there was no issue of plagiarism.
Lin said Su’s thesis was completed almost a decade ago, but it’s no surprise that the KMT is only now trying to use it to damage Su’s reputation, just before the election.
At a press conference, the DPP caucus also came to Su’s defense.
DPP Legislator Wang Sing-nan (王幸男) said Su’s thesis was legitimate and that Chiu was making false allegations.
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