The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) caucus yesterday accused the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) subsidiaries of receiving government subsidies to hold party events.
The TSU caucus said a KMT subsidiary, the Public Service Club, has over the past three years received government subsidies totaling at least NT$20 million (US$607,220), adding that the club’s New Taipei City chapter alone has received NT$10.19 million from the city government.
TSU Legislator Lai Cheng-chang (賴振昌) said the club demonstrates that KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) and the party have been profiting from his position as mayor of New Taipei City.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
“Judging from what he is doing now, it would be a disaster if he replaces Hung as the party’s presidential candidate and gets elected,” Lai said.
The TSU on Monday also revealed that KMT “women’s clubs” nationwide have been subsidized by the government as social welfare groups, receiving nearly NT$100 million over the past three years.
Together with the National Women’s League and the China Youth Corps, KMT subsidiaries have received a total of NT$160 million in benefits from government agencies since 2012, ranging from local governments to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education, the TSU said.
For example, according to official documents, the Public Service Club applied for a NT$150,000 grant for Mid-Autumn Festival events and received NT$150,000 to hold three-on-three basketball games, NT$100,000 for hiking events, NT$220,000 for biking events and NT$20,000 for birthday celebrations, TSU Legislator Yeh Chin-ling (葉津鈴) said.
“What does three-on-three basketball have anything to do with social welfare? And why does the KMT apply for government subsidies for its party members’ birthday celebrations? The KMT’s behavior is tantamount to robbery,” Yeh said.
TSU Legislator Chou Ni-an (周倪安) said the KMT’s actions have and will continue to negatively impact social welfare groups that really need the resources by crowding them out, criticizing the part for using public welfare as an excuse to repress public welfare.
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