The Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) New Taipei City Chapter yesterday revoked the membership of a KMT Central Advisory Committee member who said that KMT presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) spent most of his time playing mahjong, drinking and womanizing.
Chen Hung-chang (陳宏昌) made the remarks on Sunday while accompanying President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) during her visit to New Taipei City’s Yonglian Temple in his capacity as head of the temple’s management committee.
During a public address at the temple, Chen said that his son recently asked him why the KMT would nominate a man who spent most of his time playing majhong, drinking and womanizing.
Photo: Chen Hsin-yu, Taipei Times
“The temple should not be a place for slandering the KMT presidential candidate to make his opponent look better,” KMT New Taipei City chapter head Lee Chien-lung (李乾龍) told a news conference.
Many party members found Chen’s remarks unacceptable, Lee said, adding that on Sunday “the KMT office was flooded with phone calls and messages” complaining about Chen.
As a result, the New Taipei City chapter immediately instructed the Lujhou District (蘆洲) chapter to discuss revoking Chen’s membership, he said.
The district chapter passed a decision to revoke Chen’s membership yesterday morning and the New Taipei City chapter unanimously seconded it in the afternoon, he said.
The decision is to be submitted to KMT headquarters for final confirmation, he said, but added: “If Chen apologizes for his remarks, I believe that headquarters would be willing to consider other options.”
Han’s campaign office yesterday said it would press charges against Chen for defamation unless he apologized for the remarks within three days.
While Han on Sunday said that he was indeed “wild” when he was a legislator two decades ago and admitted to drinking and playing mahjong back then, that did not include womanizing, said Lin Kuo-cheng (林國正), chief executive officer of Han’s campaign office.
“Saying he was a womanizer is an extremely serious accusation and we have to defend the mayor’s reputation,” he told a news conference in Kaohsiung.
Han has never played mahjong or gotten drunk since taking office as mayor of Kaohsiung, his campaign office spokeswoman Ho Ting-huan (何庭歡) said.
“None of Chen’s remarks apply to Han’s current situation,” Ho said.
Chen yesterday said that Han is welcome to sue him, because he will not apologize.
“What have I done wrong? Why should I apologize?” he asked.
He was merely sharing his conversation with his son and Han had on Sunday admitted to having done the things he mentioned, Chen said.
“Those people are like the Red Guards,” unable to tolerate different opinions, he added.
He will respect the KMT’s decision whether they decide to suspend him or revoke his membership, he said.
Additional reporting by Chen Hsin-yu
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