Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) councilors yesterday accused the Taipei City Government of nepotism, saying it favored KMT members and arranged for their appointment to a city-affiliated company’s board.
Taipei Fishery Marketing Corp appointed former director of the KMT’s Taipei City branch Pan Chia-sen (潘家森) as its chairman last year. Another KMT member, Kuo Fang-mei (郭芳美), the widow of former KMT deputy secretary-general Liao Fung-de (廖風德), has served as a board member since her husband’s death in 2008.
DPP councilors Wu Su-yao (吳思瑤) and Liang Wen-jie (梁文傑) questioned the legitimacy of the two appointments and said the KMT should instead arrange for their appointments to KMT--affiliated organizations.
“Pan had worked under Liao at the KMT’s Organization and Development Committee, and so he insisted that Kuo should stay on the board to take care of his former boss’ wife,” Wu said at the Taipei City Council
“We cannot help but wonder whether the company has become a retirement club for the KMT’s Organization and Development Committee,” Wu said.
Liao, a senior KMT official who was designated minister of the interior shortly after President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) won the election in 2008, died of heart and lung complications after collapsing during a hike in Muzha (木柵) several days before the presidential inauguration.
The appointment of Kuo as a member of the company’s board of directors was proposed by Taipei City’s Department of Economic Development later in 2008. Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) approved the appointment in December that year.
Liang criticized the appointment, saying Kuo, a retired history teacher, does not have the educational background and work experience to qualify for a post in the fishery business.
He said the city government should stop granting favors to KMT members.
“Ma had expressed deep sorrow over Liao’s death, and if the KMT recognizes Liao’s contribution to the party, it should arrange for Kuo to work at KMT-affiliated organizations,” Liang said.
“Why should Taipei residents be responsible for taking care of a KMT official’s widow?” he asked.
Dismissing the accusations of nepotism, Hau said that various factors were taken into consideration when making the appointments.
“The appointments were made under careful consideration, and we believe Kuo can use her expertise in general management in overseeing the company’s operations,” he said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS