Lawmakers of all political stripes lined up yesterday to condemn one of their male colleagues who delivered a diatribe loaded with insults against a female legislator-elect on the legislative floor.
DPP legislator Lin Chung-mao (林重謀), who just won his second term in the Legislative Yuan, took aim at incoming independent Sisy Chen (陳文茜) during a speech session, calling her "a shameless prostitute."
The speech brought an immediate protest by opposition lawmakers who called Lin's comments an abuse of free speech.
Meanwhile, Chen issued a statement saying the verbal onslaught lent support to her contention that the election rules are in dire need of reform to screen out unqualified candidates.
Lin said that Chen, a popular TV and radio talk show host, has misused the media to attack President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), his wife Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍) and his predecessor Lee Teng-hui (李登輝).
"Using the media under her control, Sisy Chen has criticized the Chen administration," Lin said before the interpellation session.
"But it sounds like a prostitute commenting on the sex industry," he said.
He added that in Sisy Chen's views, former DPP chairman Shih Ming-te (
"Unfortunately, her dear Shih could not even retain his seat as a legislator," Lin said. "I am glad he lost the election or the legislature might have been doomed to failure."
The DPP lawmaker then urged Sisy Chen to exercise self-restraint, saying that the people long for stability.
"Alas, `Brother Lo,' is just gone," Lin said, alluding to independent legislator Lo Fu-chu (羅福助), who fled the country hours before being listed as a hoodlum in October and has since disappeared.
"But here comes Sisy Chen the shrew. Hopefully she will behave herself, as I really don't know what to do with a shameless woman."
The volley of insults enraged both male and female lawmakers.
KMT legislator Hsu Shao-ping (
Her colleague Chen Ching-pao (
"Level your libelous charges outside the legislature if you have the guts," he said.
Lin responded by suggesting that "losers should learn to keep their mouths shut."
Both Hsu and Chen Ching-pao failed in their bid to win re-election on Dec 1.
DPP legislative leader Tsai Huang-liang (
Tsai said it defied his understanding why Lin would make such offensive remarks and painted Lin's conduct as purely "personal."
Tsai said the caucus had been receiving protest calls all morning.
Sisy Chen said the incident attested to the need to amend election rules.
"What Lin has hurt is not me but the party that helped him win a seat in the legislature," she said in a written statement.
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