Prosecutors said they were looking into reports that staff working for Republican Party Hsinchu County commissioner candidate Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩) handed people white rice in an alleged attempt to buy votes.
Hsu and her campaign staff have been accused of handing out 3kg sacks of rice at charity events organized by local temples that read: “We thank Hsinchu County commissioner candidate Hsu Hsin-ying for this donation.”
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials yesterday urged the judiciary not to sit idle and demanded an investigation, saying that there was clear evidence and witnesses had come forward.
Photo: CNA
“People have told us that Hsu’s campaign has been handing out rice since July. It is a clear attempt to buy votes,” DPP Legislator Chou Chun-mi (周春米) said.
“Hsu made use of charity events to distribute rice to impoverished families in the name of kindness and generosity, but she obviously did so to get elected, which is in violation of election laws,” Chou said.
More than 1,000 families had received donations, DPP officials said, adding that they were worth more than NT$100 per bag, more than the NT$30 legal limit on campaign gifts.
Hsu has previously campaigned for county councilor, legislator and the presidential ticket, DPP Hsinchu County commissioner candidate Cheng Chao-fang (鄭朝方) said.
“She is experienced in elections, so she is fully aware of what constitutes vote-buying and other election violations,” Cheng said.
Hsu denied all allegations of vote-buying.
“The rice was given out as alms to poor families, it had nothing to do with the election,” Hsu said. “Our office was asked to sponsor the event, so we helped a charitable organization, but not financially.”
In other developments, prosecutors yesterday detained four people suspected of election violations after serving summonses to question 78 people in connection with alleged cash-for-vote incidents in four Hsinchu County townships.
In Hualien County, judicial officials said they were investigating 165 reports of vote-buying in more than half of the county’s townships, had sufficient evidence to launch a probe in 29 of the cases and had eight people in custody pending charges.
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