The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday denied media personality Clara Chou (周玉蔻) a chance to present herself at the party’s Central Standing Committee meeting to appeal against her expulsion from the party.
The Evaluation and Discipline Committee of the party’s Taipei chapter on Tuesday decided to expel Chou from the party, with chapter director Chung Tse-liang (鍾則良) saying that remarks made by Chou during the campaigns leading up to the nine-in-one election on Nov. 29 had damaged the party’s reputation.
Chou has alleged that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) accepted an off-the-books political donation of NT$200 million (US$6.29 million) from Ting Hsin International Group (頂新國際集團) during his re-election campaign in 2012.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Ma has denied the allegation and filed criminal and civil suits against Chou on Tuesday.
Earlier yesterday, Chou said she was like a person drowning after being put into a bag and thrown into the sea.
“I had no chance to fight back,” she said.
Chou was among 21 KMT members who were stripped of party membership on Tuesday for what the party said were violations of various party rules during the campaign.
Asked to respond to Chou’s comments, KMT spokesperson Charles Chen (陳以信) said anyone who was not happy with the decision made by the party’s Evaluation and Discipline Committee could appeal against the ruling in accordance with established procedures.
Meanwhile, former Presidential Office deputy secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) yesterday posted an article on Facebook rebutting Chou’s allegation that he had tried to intervene in the battle for ownership of Chang Hwa Bank (彰化銀行) between Taishin Financial Holdings (台新金控) and the Ministry of Finance in Taishin’s favor because he had dined with Chang Hwa Bank chairman Thomas Wu (吳東亮) last year.
Lo said the meeting was arranged by Chou and accused her of setting him up.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS