The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will hold another Central Standing Committee (CSC) election and discuss its voting system after 28 members had offered their resignations by yesterday, forcing another vote.
The number of CSC members who had resigned or were willing to resign increased from 22 on Friday amid criticism that the election for seats on the party’s decision-making body was marred by rampant bribery.
KMT spokesman Lee Chien-jung (李建榮) confirmed the number yesterday afternoon, saying that four more CSC members, namely Lai Diao-tsan (賴調燦), KMT Central Committee member Hua Jen (華真), Liao Wan-lung (廖萬隆), a Taiwanese businessman based in China and vice principal of Da Der Vocational School Hsieh Kun-hung (謝坤宏), offered to resign yesterday. Former KMT legislator Lee Chuan-chiao (李全教) and KMT Legislator Lin Tsang-min (林滄敏) also said they were willing to resign, Lee said.
Only two CSC members, KMT Taipei City Councilor Li Keng Kuei-fang (厲耿桂芳) and Taipei County Council Speaker Chen Hsin-ching (陳幸進), stayed firm on keeping their seats.
Lee Chien-jung said the party would have to hold an election because almost all its members had resigned.
“The CSC election was held in a legitimate and fair manner, and so there will be no ‘re-election.’ What we will hold is a ‘by-election’ to fill up the seats left by the members who resigned,” he said.
The KMT on Tuesday revoked the elected status of Yang Chi-hsiung (楊吉雄) and Chiang Da-lung (江達隆) for giving gifts to party delegates.
KMT regulations state that the CSC should meet with at least half its members present, including the chairman, six vice chairmen, five designated members and 32 elected members.
The party can hold an election if 23 CSC members or more resign.
Lee said the party would also examine the district voting system for CSC elections during a provisional CSC meeting tomorrow night. The new election would adopt the new system if any changes were made.
He reiterated KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) support for CSC members who had offered their resignations to push for clean elections, but declined to confirm that Ma was behind the wave of resignations.
Also See: FEATURE: More is needed to end KMT’s bribery culture
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