Miaoli County Commissioner Chung Tung-chin (鍾東錦) has been criticized for using a luxury vehicle to travel and attend events, with some local councilors questioning whether it had been purchased using public funds.
Independent Miaoli County Councilor Tseng Wen-hsueh (曾玟學) posted a photo of Chung’s four-seater black Lexus LM 300H, priced at NT$5.2 million (US$171,125) and furbished with a 26-inch television, fridge, massaging seats and other electronic gadgets.
Due to questions surrounding how Chung acquired and financed the vehicle, county councilors and legal experts yesterday requested that a judicial review investigate possible corruption.
Photo: CNA
The vehicle is an “ostentatious show of ultra-luxury,” suitable for Chung, who wants to rule as a “king of Miaoli County,” said Tseng.
Chung, who is a former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Miaoli County Council speaker, “started riding in this black Lexus van after assuming office on Dec. 25,” Tseng said, adding that when meetings are in session, the vehicle “is parked directly outside the county council’s front entrance. It is arrogant of Chung to do things his way, and to mock councilors about things we can do nothing about.”
During the council session on Friday, Tseng said that the NT$5.2 million for the sedan came from funds allocated for the county’s fire department to purchase service vehicles for official use.
There are clear regulations on service vehicles, and heads of local government have a budget of NT$1.32 million, so Chung’s vehicle contravenes this law, he said.
Chung said that he did not spend public money on the vehicle, but that his “good friends” had donated it as a service vehicle for his duties as county commissioner.
However, he refused to reveal who the benefactors were.
“Some good friends of mine made the donation. They were happy that I won the county commissioner seat, and they wanted me to ride in a vehicle that is comfortable and much safer on the road,” Chung said.
Tseng said the vehicle was likely a political donation, and new regulations require them to be registered.
“We have to question if this donation involves later financial gains or mutual benefits,” he said.
KMT County Councilor Hsu Wen-chung (余文忠) said the vehicle was a donation by Chung’s friends, and there was no legal contravention.
As Chung is also a government official, “it would be correct for the commissioner to ride in a government-provided service vehicle,” KMT County Councilor Chen Yung-hsien (陳永賢) said.
Labeled a “black gold” politician with alleged ties to gangsters, Chung has a prior conviction for murder and was allegedly involved in assault and gang-related violence.
He had his KMT membership revoked in September last year, but with support from KMT councilors and pan-blue politicians in Miaoli, Chung won as an independent candidate in the county commissioner election in November.
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