National Taiwan University professor Cheng Hsiu-ling (鄭秀玲) is to replace New Power Party (NPP) Legislator Kawlo Iyun Pacidal after an external arbitration committee yesterday upheld the party’s decision to revoke Kawlo’s membership, the NPP said.
The party is to file an application with the Central Election Commission to replace Kawlo as soon as possible, so that Cheng can participate in the current legislative session, which began earlier this week, NPP spokesman Chen Chih-ming (陳志明) said.
Kawlo can take legal action if she disagrees with the committee’s conclusion, he added.
The NPP’s disciplinary committee on Aug. 6 revoked Kawlo’s membership for tarnishing the party’s image, after Green Party Taiwan found that two non-governmental organizations run by a former assistant of Kawlo had received NT$4 million (US$127,259) in subsidies from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which the Amis legislator was supervising.
After Kawlo on Aug. 12 filed a complaint against the party’s decision, the case was delivered to an external arbitration committee for review according to party regulations.
“I believe the party decided to find me guilty before properly investigating the case, either because someone in the party hates me or because of a political feud,” she told a news conference at the Legislative Yuan before the external committee announced its decision.
After the NPP announced that it is to apply to replace her with Cheng, Kawlo reiterated that she believes the decision was based on political calculations.
She has not done anything illegal and would not allow the party to continue humiliating her, she said on Facebook.
“I am not calculative in elections and political feuds. I only serve the people,” she wrote.
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