The recent controversy over alleged links between criminal figures and politicians showed no signs of abating yesterday, as pan-blue and pan-green legislators continued to trade accusations over who had closer ties with a Nantou County convict.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀) threw the first blow, telling a press conference that a number of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) figures had been close to Chiang Chin-liang (江欽良), a paroled former gangster from central Taiwan.
Chang showed reporters four pictures that showed DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯), former DPP legislators Lin Yun-sheng (林耘生) and Tang Huo-shen (湯火聖), former Nantou County commissioner Lin Tsung-nan (林宗男) and former Tsaotun Township chief Hung Tun-jen (洪敦仁) accompanying Chiang.
PHOTO: CNA
Chang said one of the pictures was taken at the inauguration of a night market in central Taiwan on Sept. 16, 2002, with Chiang and Lin Tsung-nan designated VIPs at the event, which Chang said Hung, Tsai and Tang also attended.
Another picture was from 2004 and showed Chiang holding a campaign meeting for Lin Yun-sheng when he was running for the legislature, Chang said.
Chang’s move came after DPP Nantou County commissioner candidate Lee Wen-chung (李文忠) last week accused Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) of having close ties to Chiang.
Local media showed images of Wu and his wife vacationing in Bali, Indonesia, with Nantou County Commissioner Lee Chao-ching (李朝卿) and Chiang.
Wu on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Lee for alleging that Wu arranged gravel business contracts during the trip.
In response to Chang’s allegation, DPP Legislator William Lai (賴清德) yesterday accused the KMT of trying to shift the focus away from the premier.
Lai said that if Chang’s allegation were true, then Lee’s allegation could also be true because Chiang, Lee and Wu’s wife were also caught on camera as they attended an inaugural ceremony of a night market in Nantou.
“If the KMT’s allegations make any sense, then it’s just as correct to say Wu Den-yih, Lee Chao-ching and Chiang Chin-liang toured Bali together to make secret deals,” Lai said.
Meanwhile, the DPP’s Central Standing Committee (CSC) yesterday ruled unanimously to recommend the Central Disciplinary Committee expel the DPP’s Caotun Township (草屯) office head, Huang Wen-chun (黃文君), for making false allegations against Lee Wen-chung. Huang told a press conference on Saturday that Lee Wen-chung turned against Chiang after trying but failing to garner Chiang’s support.
DPP Spokesman Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said Huang’s action had harmed the party and a decision on her expulsion would be made at the next Central Disciplinary Committee meeting on Nov. 26. Huang will also be invited to make her case, he said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JENNY W. HSU
EVA Airways was ranked the eighth-best airline in the world for this year, the only Taiwanese carrier to make it into the top 25 Airline Excellence Awards this year, aviation reviews Web site AirlineRatings.com said on Wednesday. AirlineRatings.com has a seven-star rating system to evaluate more than 360 airlines around the world every year, EVA Airways said in a statement on Thursday. “We are delighted that efforts by the entire EVA staff have been recognized by Airline Ratings,” EVA Airways president Clay Sun (孫嘉明) said in the release. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company identified and adopted services and procedures that enhance and
Tropical storm Guchol is moving in a northeasterly direction off the east coast of the Philippines and will not hit Taiwan, but will impact local weather starting on Friday, the Central Weather Bureau said Thursday. The storm would bring a low-pressure system northward toward the vicinity of Taiwan, forecaster Chao Hung (趙竑) said. Northern Taiwan will see intermittent rain showers in the morning, and thunderstorms in the afternoon on Friday, he said, adding that rain would be heavier on the east coast and in the central-southern mountainous areas. Rainfall would continue into Saturday, and would spread throughout Taiwan proper, he
Exiled Chinese democracy advocate Wang Dan (王丹) yesterday denied an accusation by former Taiwanese political worker Lee Yuan-chun (李援軍) that Wang had sexually harassed him in a hotel room in New York nine years ago. There was a huge gap between Lee’s accusation and his own understanding and memory, Wang wrote on Facebook, adding it was hard for him to respond further regarding a “unilateral description” made by someone else. Wang made the remarks after his initial response on Facebook was met with criticism, with people saying he did not directly address the allegation. Lee on Friday wrote on Facebook that he
#METOO MOVEMENT: A woman who formerly worked at the TPP said that she was repeatedly harassed by a party deputy secretary last year and it was covered up Vice President and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman William Lai (賴清德) yesterday announced new party procedures for filing complaints and investigating reports of sexual misconduct in response to more accusations of negligence against the party in handling reports of sexual abuse. In what local media dubbed Taiwan’s #MeToo movement, more people went public yesterday with allegations about the DPP, other parties and local governments. Lai said he deeply regrets the situation and apologized to the victims, while also praising them for having the courage to come forward. “When facing bullying and violations in the workplace, it is most important to stand up to
RSS