The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday acknowledged that streamlining its structure is inevitable, but downplayed allegations that it is planning to dismiss half of its employees.
KMT Secretary-General Mo Tien-hu (莫天虎) said that party members at central and local levels, as well as the party’s union, have been preparing themselves since the KMT national congress on Sept. 4 passed a resolution to push for the streamlining of the party’s structure and salary adjustments.
“Our plans are to be unveiled after they are approved at a meeting of the KMT Central Standing Committee,” Mo said.
Photo: CNA
However, when asked to confirm the KMT leadership’s reported plan to lay off 400 workers, Mo said that while there had been speculation of layoffs of at least half of the KMT’s 800 employees, the number is mere speculation, as such a figure has never been mentioned.
Mo’s comments followed an article published yesterday by the Chinese-language United Daily News, which quoted an anonymous KMT official as saying that the party plans to follow the example of the Democratic Progressive Party and reduce its number of employees to 400.
According to a document provided by KMT Central Policy Committee director Alex Tsai (蔡正元) last month, personnel costs — including staff salaries and pensions of retired employees — cost the party about NT$787 million (US$25 million at the current exchange rate) from January to September.
The KMT has been embroiled in a paycheck conundrum since late September, when the Executive Yuan’s Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee froze the party’s main bank account at Bank SinoPac after the party withdrew NT$520 million from the bank and had the Bank of Taiwan issue 10 checks for NT$52 million each, reportedly to pay for party expenses and employees’ salaries.
KMT Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) on Oct. 26 accepted two loans totaling NT$90 million in her name from private sources to pay overdue wages.
However, the Taipei High Administrative Court on Friday ruled that the committee’s freezing order should be lifted.
Despite the court’s verdict, Mo said the KMT continues to promote two fundraising schemes it launched last month: one urges members to pay a “special party fee” of at least NT$2,000, while the other encourages the public to donate NT$1,000 to the party.
So far, the two schemes have helped generate NT$10 million and NT$20 million respectively for the KMT, Mo said.
As the fundraisers have yet to reach the party’s target, it plans to hold more events, which Hung would attend, Mo said.
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