Veterans Affairs Council Minister Lee Hsiang-jow (李翔宙) yesterday tendered his resignation, but Premier William Lai (賴清德) rejected it, Cabinet spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said.
Following a heated debate at a legislative hearing yesterday between Lee and several KMT lawmakers over his political affiliation, Lee called a news conference to announce his resignation.
KMT Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) asked Lee about his party affiliation, and the minister said that he had been a KMT member from 1969 until last year, but was now an independent.
In response to a follow-up question by Chiang, Lee said that he had given up his KMT membership to take up the Veterans Affairs Council post in President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration.
KMT Legislator Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) later asked the minister if he had given up his KMT membership because the party’s ideology conflicted with the expected administrative neutrality of a Cabinet post.
Lee Hsiang-jow said he thought party affiliation would affect the performance of his duties as a minister.
Lee Yen-hsiu then told him that she could not respect him if he had abandoned his political ideas for the sake of a government post.
Her comment appeared to upset Lee Yen-hsiu, who said the comment was an insult to him and his family.
He told the news conference that he had worked as a public servant for 50 years, had benefited greatly from the nation and wanted only to give back by offering his expertise and experience.
Presidential Office spokesperson Sidney Lin (林鶴明) said the government hoped to continue to recruit and retain capable people to serve the nation and that they, as well as political appointees, should be given the respect they deserve.
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