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Ma wants KMT to
quickly resolve Wang Jin-pyng’s party membership wrangle
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff reporter
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has instructed the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)
to resolve the issue of Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng’s (王金平) party
membership internally and to prevent further legal battles.
Wang’s membership was revoked by the KMT’s Central Evaluation and Discipline
Committee on Sept. 11 following allegations that he abused his power by lobbying
for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘). Wang
later filed a civil suit at the Taipei District Court to request an injunction
against the KMT’s revocation of his membership.
Ma, who doubles as KMT chairman, softened his stance on the issue in the
following months, and he instructed the party to form a special task force to
resolve the issue as soon as possible.
A top KMT official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the party would
not consider revising its regulations to solve the problem and would seek a
solution in accordance with existing regulations.
The KMT had hoped that Wang would file an appeal with the Integrity Committee
within 20 days of his membership being revoked. However, Wang did not file the
appeal and insisted on continuing his legal battle against the KMT.
One possible measure to resolve the issue of Wang’s membership is that the KMT’s
Integrity Committee could hold a meeting to look into the case.
Wang’s supporters within the party have signed a petition asking the KMT to
examine party regulations to allow Wang to rejoin the party.
Ma’s instruction for the party to form a task force was made ahead of the Taipei
District Court’s plan to handle Wang’s lawsuit next month.
As the KMT prepares for the nomination process for the seven-in-one elections
next year, strengthening party unity will be the party’s main priority, and it
will want to avoid a legal battle with Wang.
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