Many attacks against political rivals in the run-up to next month’s local elections have been a variation on the theme of plagiarism. Not so for independent Miaoli County commissioner candidate Chung Tung-chin (鍾東錦), who is grappling with discussion about his alleged criminal ties and a decades-old murder conviction.
Chung was expelled from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) not for these allegations, but for having the audacity to run as an independent when he failed to secure the KMT’s nomination for Miaoli County commissioner. KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) has standards to maintain, after all.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), chairman of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), knows about the importance of maintaining a clean party image. This is why he advised former TPP legislator-at-large Tsai Pi-ru (蔡壁如) to resign after her master’s degree was revoked over plagiarism allegations, even though Ko and Tsai refuted the allegations.
It is surprising, then, that Ko would be foolish enough to share a stage with Chung when the candidate traveled to Taipei on Thursday last week, ostensibly interested in learning about Ko’s preparations for Taipei becoming a “smart city.” The connection between the plagiarism scandal and the litany of crimes that Chung is accused of, or has been convicted for — murder, corruption and ties with the underworld — is that both have a real and a purely political component. Just as it might be suspicious that the various plagiarism scandals have come to light only in the buildup to the local elections, Chung’s background and shady business dealings are only being broached now that he has fallen out with the KMT leadership. The political element is ever present, despite the irrefutable facts on which many of the allegations are based, even if, in the case of Chung’s murder conviction and criminal ties, he has attempted to refute certain details.
Regarding the murder, Chung maintains that the death was accidental. He does not contest the beating, nor wielding a knife: He merely contends that he did not intend to kill the man, as if that somehow places him above the standard to which an elected official should be held. It also raises questions about why a convicted murderer is allowed to hold office.
If Chung had come to Taipei to bask in the glow of Ko’s popularity in an attempt to cleanse his image, it seems he miscalculated. He gained national attention, but it was focused on the murder conviction, his land ownership and his controversial ties, and past investment in, the Miaoli gravel industry.
Miaoli County is a stronghold for the pan-blue camp, but in the light of the allegations and Chung’s dark past, local voters are uncomfortable with electing a “criminal commissioner.” His run as an independent could split the pan-blue vote and allow the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to turn the county green. Chung’s trip to Taipei is a gift to the DPP in Miaoli.
Ko’s willingness to appear on stage with him has led to talk about a so-called “black and white alliance,” in which the black represents Chung’s alleged criminal ties and the white stands for the TPP as an independent voice outside the pan-blue and pan-green camps. That has certain nominees affiliated with the TPP nervous, as Ko’s association with Chung would not likely impress swing voters.
Ko has previously tried to portray himself as above the political fray, but now finds himself associated in the minds of some voters with down-and-dirty “black gold” politics. Asked about the association, he continues to say that he is above it all, and has no time for such cynical politicking. It might be cynical politicking, but it will guide voters’ behavior.
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