A Taichung civil servant on Tuesday resigned after coming under fire for playing poker on a workday, despite saying hours earlier that he had “requested the day off” to take part in the “legal” competition.
Taichung Research, Development and Evaluation Commission Director Liu Yen-li (劉彥澧) said that he had handed his resignation letter to Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) on Tuesday evening.
The commission’s deputy director, Huang Ming-hui (黃銘暉), is to take over Liu’s duties as acting director, the Taichung City Government said.
Photo from Wen Lan-tung’s Facebook page
Speaking to the media on yesterday morning, Lu said Liu took responsibility for his actions and had submitted his resignation, so she “respects” Liu’s decision.
The Taichung City Government has always held itself to high standards, the mayor said.
Liu’s resignation came despite him denying any wrongdoing after political commentator Wen Lang-tung (溫朗東) on Monday posted on Facebook a photograph of Liu playing cards at a tournament, and accused him of going to “play cards on a workday.”
Photo: CNA
In the post, Wen said that “many Texas hold’em venues are run by gangs and scammers.”
The post garnered more than 800 comments in less than 24 hours.
Liu told reporters that he asked for leave according to the city government’s regulations to attend the “legal, formal competition” held last month.
The tournament involved “more than 1,000 players” and was organized by the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Club, Liu said, adding that although there was a registration fee and cash prizes, it did not constitute illegal gambling.
He has participated in similar tournaments more than 10 times on his days off, Liu said.
He would now consider not participating in similar events, he said.
The Democratic Progressive Party Taichung City Council caucus had questioned whether the game was more important to Liu than city governance and suggested that he resign.
Liu’s wife, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯), also responded to the controversy surrounding her husband, saying that the tournament was “a legal competition, not gambling.”
However, she also said that “civil servants going to such places could indeed cause a negative social perception” and hoped that her husband would “reflect” on his actions.
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