Public prosecutors yesterday indicted 13 people, including former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Central Standing Committee member Fan Cheng-lien (范成連), for allegedly paying people during the drive in October to collect signatures to ensure Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou’s (郭台銘) participation in the Jan. 13 presidential election.
Evidence suggested Fan raised NT$20 million (US$638,366) before Oct. 4 and held meetings with local politicians, including Wang Tseng-chi (王曾基), head of town council of Hsinchu’s Sinpu Township (新埔), to discuss the plans to collect signatures by paying NT$400 per person, prosecutors said.
Investigation showed Fang allegedly distributed more than NT$5 million in “bribes” to obtain up to 4,000 signatures, contravening the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act (總統副總統選舉罷免法), Hsinchu County Head Prosecutor Chou Mao-yu (鄒茂瑜) said.
Photo: Taipei Times file
In the run-up to the previous legislative election in 2020, the KMT put Fan at 19th on its legislator-at-large list, but he decided to drop out in November 2019, saying he had business in China to look after and he could not also work as a legislator. At the time fellow KMT officials said Fan allegedly paid to register a 1,000-strong group as party members to increase his influence over party policies.
The investigation indicated Fan allegedly on Oct. 4 visited Wang, who operates some gasoline filling stations in Sinpu Township, handing him NT$1.6 million, flashlights and other gifts, and asking Wang to collect signatures by paying NT$400 to each person.
He also allegedly went to Taoyuan to pass on NT$2.4 million in cash to a business friend surnamed Huang (黃), instructing them to collect signatures for Gou, the indictment said, adding that those who agreed to collect money following Fan’s instructions were named by investigators and listed as suspects in the case.
Prosecutors requested harsh sentences to set an example, adding that Fan financed the collection of more than 4,000 signatures, and it has affected the fairness and impartiality of the presidential election.
Fan used money to harm the election process and Taiwan’s democratic system, prosecutors said.
The KMT last month voted to suspend Fan from the party for aiding Gou’s signature drive.
Gou last month quit the presidential race.
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