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KMT urges voters to protest Chen verdict
at the polls
SOUND AND FURY:KMT lawmakers demanded DPP candidates state
where they stand on the verdict handed down by the Taipei District Court last
Friday
By Ko Shu-ling / Staff Reporter
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin’s (郝龍斌) spokespersons yesterday urged voters unhappy
with the acquittal of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and his wife, Wu
Shu-jen (吳淑珍), on money laundering and corruption charges to vent their
displeasure on Nov. 27, while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) accused the
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of attempting to “hijack” the judiciary.
KMT Legislator Lin Yi-shih (林益世) urged the DPP’s mayoral candidates in the
special municipality elections to explain their position on Friday’s court
ruling, adding: “Please tell the electorate whether you think people who take
bribes should be acquitted.”
Lin called on the DPP caucus to help pass the Judges’ Act in the legislature.
The committee review of the bill has been brought forward from next week to this
week.
Lin also urged voters to go to the polls, saying the message they send will
signal their expectations of the judiciary.
While KMT Legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) described Judge Chou Chan-chun’s (周占春)
verdict as “gutsy,” she said it represented “covert encouragement” for public
servants to commit graft.
The Taipei District Court said it found no evidence that Chen took NT$600
million (US$20 million) in exchange for promises not to block separate mergers
initiated by Cathay Financial Holdings (國泰金控) and Yuanta Financial Holdings
(元大金控).
“As long as you are skillful, you don’t have to take the money, but your wife
and relatives can accept it on your behalf because they don’t have any direct
connection with your job,” Hung said. “It’s unbelievable to see such a ruling.”
Some people have been so disappointed that they have decided not to vote, Hung
said.
“If you stay home, the government that made you so angry will return to power,”
she said. “The real reason why the DPP wants to win all five mayoral seats is
that they want to protect Chen’s judicial rights. If the DPP wins the elections,
corruption will be rampant, but not a single corrupt public servant will be held
responsible. Is this what you really want?”
KMT Legislator Chung Shao-ho (鍾紹和) said that if the KMT loses the elections,
Taiwan would become a “corrupt island” and a “dishonest country.” Saying he was
“shocked” to see the judiciary become “Chen’s personal hit men,” Chung urged
voters to come out to banish “dinosaur judges” and protect the judicial system.
“The ruling clears the name of the KMT, which has been accused of using the
judicial system to serve its own interests,” he said.
KMT Legislator Lin Tsang-min (林滄敏) said there was a significant gap between the
verdict and public opinion since various opinion polls showed a majority of
respondents were unhappy with the verdict.
KMT Legislator Alex Fai (費鴻泰) said a private group calling itself the
anti-corruption alliance placed a half-page ad in the Chinese-language China
Times and United Daily News yesterday criticizing the ruling and urging voters
to use their ballots to recover Taiwan’s honesty and justice.
Fai urged the DPP’s Taipei mayoral candidate Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and Sinbei
City mayoral candidate (and DPP Chairperson) Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to say where
they stood on the issue.
Fai also challenged Su to renew his claims that the corruption accusations
against Chen were politically motivated.
Kaohsiung County Commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興), a former DPP member, broke
his silence to slam the verdict.
Approached for comment after visiting former Kaohsiung mayor Su Nan-cheng (蘇南成)
for support, Yang said the verdict failed to live up to public expectations, and
that it was wrong to take money from other people.
Yang’s campaign spokeswoman Tseng Yin-li (曾尹儷) told reporters at a separate
setting that Yang used to support Chen because he did not know the former
president was “so corrupt.”
Yang left the DPP to run as an independent.
Meanwhile, KMT Legislator Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順), who is running for mayor of
Greater Kaohsiung, urged the Control Yuan to censure Taipei District Court
presiding Judge Chou Chan-chun (周占春) over the Chen verdict.
Huang and KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Tsang-min (林滄敏) went to the Control
Yuan to accuse Chou of neglecting his duties.
Meanwhile, the DPP said the latest moves by KMT politicians targeting Chou were
an attempt to “hijack” the judiciary.
“Just because they are unhappy with the ruling, [the KMT] is willing to
undermine the [independence] of the judiciary,” DPP Legislator Kuan Bi-ling
(管碧玲) said.
DPP lawmakers said the KMT’s reaction, along with an “anti-corruption” rally the
KMT is planning for Nov. 21, appear to be motivated by the upcoming elections.
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