Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members yesterday accused New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) of “running away” to Singapore to avoid questions about bribery allegations he is facing, while Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) councilors defended his diplomacy efforts.
Former KMT member and political pundit Luo You-zhi (羅友志) has accused Hou of offering him a bribe of NT$5 million (US$163,602) to switch to another New Taipei City district when running in the 2014 local elections. Hou is also seen as being as among the frontrunners for the KMT’s presidential nomination.
DPP Taipei City Councilor Yen Wei-tzu (顏蔚慈) told a news briefing yesterday that Hou had left for Singapore in a hurry.
Photo: CNA
She presented documents and conversations with city government officials indicating that Hou’s trip had been planned in a hurry.
“When asked about the controversy, Hou ... was evasive and did not answer the questions directly,” Yen said. “He even lied to the public by falsely calming that the Singapore visit had already been planned.”
“It is certain that his trip’s main purpose is to evade the controversy surrounding his bribery allegations. Is this ... to launch his presidential run? Is Hou treating his city’s international diplomacy like a kid’s game?” Yen said.
DPP spokesperson Chang Chih-hao (張志豪) said that Hou is dodging all questions about the controversy.
Chang said Hou had responded to accusations with words that were “devoid of meaning” on Tuesday, when he said: “Throughout my four decades in civil service and public office, I have been clean and honest, and not scared of others maligning me.”
“Hou does not have the guts to take responsibility,” Chang added.
Hou’s officials issued a press release saying that the mayor represents the New Taipei City Government, and any vilification of the mayor tarnishes the reputation of the city government, he said.
“The linking of the mayor’s innocence or unethical conduct to the reputation of the city government and city’s residents is to debase the civil servants and residents of New Taipei City. We ask his officials not to use the city government as Hou’s presidential campaign office, and please do not use [foreign trips] to add to his credits when contesting the KMT presidential nomination,” Chang said.
“When working in media, I went on foreign visits with Taiwan’s politicians. These trips required prior planning, from the flights and the delegation members to the accommodation and who would be met, all of which was provided to reporters, but we received nothing from Hou and his officials,” DPP New Taipei City Councilor Evalyn Chen (陳乃瑜) said.
Public funds are being used for the trip, but Hou was unable to tell reporters how much the trip was costing or what the itinerary was, she said.
KMT New Taipei City Councilor Liao Hsien-hsiang (廖先翔) told a separate news conference that the trip was a good opportunity for New Taipei City to gain visibility on the world stage.
“Singapore can see the sniping and sour grapes from the ruling party. I ask the DPP to take responsibility for derailing this international diplomacy effort,” Liao said.
“Singapore and Taiwan have close relations and interact in many fields, but we have DPP councilors saying that Hou is running away from problems at home,” KMT Councilor Chiang I-chen (江怡臻) said. “Singapore has made a lot of progress to surpass President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) ROC [Republic of China]. The DPP is intent on tarnishing Hou, which will not help Taiwan strive for progress.”
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