Several Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) overseas representatives have launched a petition calling for KMT Legislator Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) to be expelled for “undermining the party’s reputation.”
The petition, which was initiated by seven overseas representatives on Aug. 1, is expected to be voted on at the party’s national congress on Sept. 4.
“The KMT Evaluation and Discipline Committee reached a consensus to revoke Wang’s membership in 2013. However, due to political intervention in the judicial system, the due process for Wang’s expulsion was not completed,” the petition reads, adding that it is the representatives’ obligation to vote to expel Wang to maintain the party’s “normal function.”
The petition lists several reasons why the former legislative speaker deserves to be expelled, including his alleged meddling in a breach of trust lawsuit on behalf of Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) in 2013, which it says tarnished the KMT’s reputation.
The representatives also criticized Wang for turning a blind eye to protesters who occupied the Legislative Yuan for almost 23 days in March and April 2014, which they said undermined the rule of law and the KMT’s image.
Wang’s decision as legislative speaker to form a cross-caucus negotiation mechanism with Ker while was also attacked.
The representatives said that action nullified the KMT’s advantage as the majority party in the legislature and impeded its efforts to pass many major bills.
Wang, whose 17-year run as legislative speaker ended in January, took the KMT to court in September 2013 after the KMT Evaluation and Discipline Committee revoked his membership at the request of then-president and KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
The Taipei District Court and the Taiwan High Court in 2014 ruled in favor of Wang, ruling that he should retain his membership and rights as a member.
In October 2014, Ma ordered the party to appeal the High Court’s ruling.
In February last year, Ma’s successor as chairman, Eric Chu (朱立倫), decided not to pursue the KMT’s suit against Wang.
KMT Culture and Communications Committee director Chow Chi-wai (周志偉) yesterday said that procedural and substantive justice should be ensured in any proposal to expel party members or revoke their membership.
Even if the party congress votes in favor of the petition, the motion still has to go through a local branch’s disciplinary committee and then the Evaluation and Discipline Committee before being sent to the Central Standing Committee for approval.
“It is not up for the party congress to decide the fate of members that people like or do not like. That would just be tyranny of the majority,” Chow said.
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