A former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member, who was sacked in June for his outspokenness, has confirmed plans to join a committee investigating the party’s illegal assets, drawing fire from KMT members.
Committee of Illegal Party Asset Settlement chairman Wellington Koo (顧立雄) on Thursday said that he consulted with former KMT spokesman Yang Wei-chung (楊偉中) last week and invited him to join the committee.
Koo said that Yang immediately agreed, saying that he has always advocated honest handling of the KMT party assets issue, but had no way to push for reform from within the party.
Yang confirmed the meeting with Koo and expressed his desire to promote the handling of the KMT’s assets and other transitional justice measures.
Koo said that the committee would draw upon Yang’s experience as a former KMT member to balance the committee’s efforts.
Koo has also met with New Power Party members and is expected to release a complete list of committee members next week.
Answering reporters’ questions yesterday morning, Yang said that proper handling of the party assets issue requires “stepping outside of blue and green party biases.”
His comments were echoed by Koo.
“This should not be a battle of parties trying to settle accounts with each other,” Koo said, adding that the committee’s efforts are supported by most of the public.
When asked if his own salary as a former KMT member should be surrendered, Yang said: “Measures will be executed according to the decisions of the committee. Naturally, individuals and groups associated with the party will not be exempted.”
KMT Culture and Communications Committee deputy
director-general Hu Wen-chi (胡文琦) lambasted Yang for being “the sword and hired thug of the Democratic Progressive Party in their battle against the KMT” and said that the decision to expel Yang from the party was sagacious.
Addressing Yang, Hu said: “I hope [you] will maintain a good conscience, discuss things as they are and get to know the KMT anew.”
Hu said that Yang was announcing his plans to resign before the presidential elections were concluded earlier this year and that he later began making incessant attacks against the KMT, making him intolerable among party constituents.
Yang’s decision to approach the Taiwan Solidarity Union and his public support for Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) are evidence of his early intentions of joining the pan-green camp, Hu said.
“It is not the least bit surprising for the KMT that Yang wants to join the Committee of Illegal Party Asset Settlement,” he said.
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