Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday defended the party’s decision to require candidates to sign a pledge that they have not plagiarized university degree theses, while chiding opposition party figures for allegedly doing nothing about widespread plagiarism.
“We have taken the first step ... to ensure the academic integrity of party members intending to run in the primaries for the elections next year. We are addressing the public’s demand to root out plagiarism in university theses,” DPP caucus director Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) said.
“Our party requires that prospective candidates sign a declaration that their theses comply with academic ethics,” he said, adding that, if needed, internal committees would help schools assess the theses of DPP candidates.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
However, the DPP has faced criticism for implementing the requirement, including from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which said the DPP intentionally left a loophole for candidates who have plagiarized theses.
They would simply not declare their plagiarized theses, so the DPP would not check on them, it said.
Cheng said the criticism was unfounded.
“We heard disparaging remarks about this from other political parties. This is very strange... We took concrete measures to address this issue. Let us look at the KMT and other parties, they have done nothing on it yet,” Cheng said, likening the criticism to that of spectators of a baseball game.
“They are not part of the game, but criticize the hitter’s batting stance,” he said, calling it a “perverse attitude.”
Some candidates running for the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party in last year’s local elections were embroiled in plagiarism scandals, and some had their degrees revoked, he said, adding that his party “does not see the two other parties taking a step” similar to that of the DPP.
The DPP has been forthright and honest on this matter, he said, adding that it has faced the public’s demand for academic integrity.
The DPP has imposed strict requirements to address academic misconduct, he said, calling it “the right way forward.”
“When DPP members register to run in the primaries ... the party demands honesty from them,” he said, adding that candidates “must provide their personal information, academic degrees and work background,” as well as sign a declaration that their data are correct.
Candidate listings would include that information, as the party seeks to ensure that members voting in the primaries are well-informed, DPP Legislator Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) said.
However, KMT caucus whip William Tseng (曾銘宗) said the DPP’s requirements would not prevent candidates who had plagiarized theses from running, as the rules include a statute of limitation.
Tseng said that Deputy Premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), a former Taoyuan mayor, had plagiarized his thesis at National Taiwan University’s College of Social Sciences.
Tseng said that Vice President William Lai (賴清德), who is DPP chairman, did not explain the requirements comprehensively, adding that he did not mention the statute of limitation.
Providing insufficient information about the rules is part of the DPP’s “fraudulent game,” he said.
Tseng also questioned whether the DPP is able to implement the rules.
On Wednesday, Lai introduced the new requirement as he presided over a DPP Central Executive Committee meeting on changes to the party’s nomination process.
Candidates must “personally vouch” that their theses were not plagiarized, he said.
Regarding plagiarism allegations against candidates running for all major parties in last year’s elections, Lai said the DPP is the only party that is “willing to set an example and propose a solution.”
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