The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) announced yesterday that it has filed a criminal libel lawsuit against Premier Yu Shyi-kun for his recent verbal remarks over the party's stolen assets, while the People First Party (PFP) threatened to follow suit.
In response, Yu said that he welcomed the opportunity to look into the matter in a court of law, and repeated that the KMT's assets had been pillaged from the people and the country during its 50-year reign.
"It's clearly a thief calling others thief," he said. "What do you call something that is illicitly acquired? Do they have the guts to say their party assets are not looted?"
Following a suit filed by the Cabinet on Nov. 1 against the KMT-owned Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC,
Addressing the press conference held at KMT headquarters yesterday morning, KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung (
"As the nation's highest administrator, the premier has made a deluge of controversial remarks. I think his so-called `combative Cabinet' should be renamed the `warmonger Cabinet,'" he said.
Chang was referring to the remarks Yu made during his three-country, 14-day diplomatic tour in late August when he said that the communist giant China is secretly mapping underwater terrain in the Pacific in preparation for an eventual naval conflict with the US.
In response to a rally against the Cabinet's proposed NT$610.8 billion (US$18 billion) arms-procurement package in September, Yu again caused an uproar when he said that Taiwan should rely on a Cold War-style "balance of terror" to safeguard national security in the face of intimidation from Beijing.
Chang said that Yu's recent verbal blunders may be derived from his "unimpressive intelligence and qualifications for his post."
"A Chinese proverb goes: Stupidity can be remedied by diligence. I think Yu might want to consider taking the advice offered by our wise ancestors," Chang said.
KMT party lawyer Lin Fu-hung (
Lin also said Yu had committed two "criminal offenses," which were outlined in the party's written complaint, filed last Friday at the Taipei District Office.
One of the "offenses" was during a question-and-answer session on the legislative floor on Oct. 5, when Yu said the KMT's efforts to entrust or sell party assets were aimed at laundering its stolen assets.
"Like any plunder, no matter where it goes, it's still stolen goods, and whoever accepts it is accepting booty," he said.
Another "offense" took place on Oct. 20, when Yu said that the KMT is a group of thieves and called on the party to return its stolen assets.
"[The KMT] is like a housekeeper who came to the master's house with nothing. But 50 years later, the housekeeper has become much better off than the master," Yu said. "When the master finds out that the housekeeper has pocketed some of his possessions and asks for them back, the housekeeper claims to have legally acquired the belongings, and asks the master to provide evidence that the master's belongings are his own."
Another KMT lawyer Roger Lin (林瑞富) said that the suit is aimed at reforming Taiwan's political culture, not at getting revenge.
"The lawsuit is well-intended and constructive in nature," Lin said. "It's a friendly reminder that the premier should exercise prudence in his words and actions. If he accuses someone of stealing something, he should provide evidence to prove the allegation."
He also questioned whether the Cabinet's efforts to reclaim the KMT's stolen assets ahead of the legislative elections is a campaign gimmick to garner votes.
The PFP said yesterday that it is getting ready to file a suit against Yu and his "bandit government."
"Since the DPP came to power, it has been intimidating local governments governed by opposition parties," said Hsieh Kong-ping (謝公秉), Cultural and Publicity Department deputy director.
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