New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) would be a “[President] Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) 2.0” if the KMT continues to block the draft statute regarding the disposition of assets improperly obtained by political parties and maintains it is legally entitled to them, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators said yesterday.
The KMT yesterday elected Chu as KMT chairman following Ma’s resignation over the party’s crushing defeat in the Nov. 29 local elections last year.
Chu was the sole candidate in the chairmanship election.
DPP caucus convener Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) yesterday said that even after Chu announced his bid for party chairmanship and his willingness to deal with the issue of improperly obtained assets, the DPP caucus’ version of the draft statute was repeatedly blocked by the KMT in the legislature’s Procedure Committee, in which it has a legislative majority.
Tsai also said that the draft political party act, which would bar political parties from running companies if passed, was only placed on the legislative review agenda for show, adding that if the impasse continues after Chu becomes chairman, it would mean that Chu is simply another Ma with an upgraded talent for empty rhetoric.
“But they would still be empty words,” he said.
Chu originally claimed to be in favor of settling the issue of ill-gotten party assets, but later seemed to have become convinced that none of the assets were “improperly obtained,” Tsai said.
Taiwanese cannot accept that all of the KMT’s assets were acquired legitimately, the lawmaker said, adding that the way Chu deals with the issue would be a major benchmark of his performance as KMT chairman.
DPP Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said Chu has been in politics for a long time, but it is only now that he has entered the media spotlight. Chu has failed to cultivate momentum for reform and has even taken a step back from it, Kuan said.
“The KMT is at a turning point, and Chu is also standing at a crossroads of Taiwanese democracy. The controversial issues of the KMT’s assets and intra-party democracy must be taken care of,” Kuan said.
She called on the KMT to have the courage to give up its party assets, adding that they have been the biggest impediment to the development of representative democracy.
Chu should choose to leave his mark on history, Kuan added.
DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said of Chu becoming the KMT chairman, that she expects Chu to face the country’s difficulties and predicaments with other political parties and civil groups, as they must be solved by a consensus among Taiwanese.
Additional reporting by Chang Hsun-teng
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