Facing accusations of influence peddling, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday took his battle with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to the Taipei District Court in the hope of retaining his KMT membership and legislative speaker position.
The court held its first session yesterday afternoon to review Wang’s challenge of a KMT decision, which revoked the 72-year-old politician’s membership in the party for his role in alleged illegal lobbying.
The court did not hand down a ruling yesterday. According to the Code of Civil Procedure (民事訴訟法), the court should make a ruling within seven days of a provisional injunction.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Wang and Ma did not attend the court session.
Former Democratic Progressive Party legislator and attorney Chiu Tai-san (邱太三), who represented Wang, filed an injunction against the revocation with the Taipei District Court as well as a civil lawsuit seeking to overrule the KMT’s decision.
The Wang camp filed an additional temporary restraining order on Wednesday night, which argued that Wang should retain his position as speaker.
Photo: CNA
Hsu Ying-chieh (許英傑), another lawyer for Wang, said his client claimed that the KMT’s decision had violated the principle of proportionality since the party did not revoke the party membership of former Executive Yuan secretary-general Lin Yi-shih (林益世) and KMT Taipei City councilor Lai Su-ju (賴素如), both of whom have been indicted for corruption.
Neither did the KMT grant Wang the 20-day appeal period stipulated in the party’s charter, Hsu said.
The KMT’s Anti-Corruption Committee could still reverse the punishment on appeal — but only if the punishment is found to be non-compliant with party rules. Even if that happens, Wang will still be out of the party until the committee makes a ruling, sources in the KMT said.
In 2010, the KMT revised its rules so that disciplinary measures would remain in effect even during appeals, they said.
The KMT will not interfere with Wang’s move to request a court review of the Central Evaluation and Discipline Committee’s decision, the sources said, adding that it is his right to pursue the course of action.
Wang said he hoped that he could retain the speaker position to resolve a series of important issues that are related to social and political stability, including a controversial cross-strait service trade agreement, a referendum proposal on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant and the central government’s budget plan, the lawyer said.
Wang has been a major player in the KMT and since becoming speaker of the legislature in 1999, has enjoyed popularity among both ruling and opposition lawmakers. He started his legislative career when he was elected in 1975. He was a legislator-at-large in 2004.
Chen Ming (陳明), a lawyer who represented the KMT, said the KMT urged the court to uphold its decision to expel Wang for interfering with the judiciary.
“Which deserves to be protected more? Wang’s political career or the KMT’s pledge and determination to uphold the law?” Chen asked reporters.
Earlier yesterday, the legislature’s secretariat confirmed that it had received a notice regarding the revocation of Wang’s KMT membership from the Central Election Commission (CEC) in an electronic file on Wednesday night.
Gao Chiu-lai (高秋來), director of the legislature’s Conference Department, said that the notice would be processed in line with normal procedures.
According to the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), the legislature is required to void Wang’s status as a lawmaker and send the result back to the CEC so that it can announce the name of a KMT legislator-at-large nominee to take over Wang’s seat. Under the law, the legislature is not subject to a prescribed period to complete the process.
CEC Vice Chairman Liu I-chou (劉義周) reiterated yesterday that Wang lost his status as a legislator the same day his party membership was revoked.
Liu said he was surprised that many people were still unsure about Wang’s legislative status despite the developments.
Wang said he had no comment on Liu’s views that his legislative seat had been invalidated immediately after the KMT ruled on the case on Wednesday.
Additional reporting by CNA
EXPRESSING GRATITUDE: Without its Taiwanese partners which are ‘working around the clock,’ Nvidia could not meet AI demand, CEO Jensen Huang said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and US-based artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer Nvidia Corp have partnered with each other on silicon photonics development, Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said. Speaking with reporters after he met with TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) in Taipei on Friday, Huang said his company was working with the world’s largest contract chipmaker on silicon photonics, but admitted it was unlikely for the cooperation to yield results any time soon, and both sides would need several years to achieve concrete outcomes. To have a stake in the silicon photonics supply chain, TSMC and
SILICON VALLEY HUB: The office would showcase Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors and artificial intelligence, and help Taiwanese start-ups connect with global opportunities Taiwan has established an office in Palo Alto, one of the principal cities of Silicon Valley in California, aimed at helping Taiwanese technology start-ups gain global visibility, the National Development Council said yesterday. The “Startup Island Taiwan Silicon Valley hub” at No. 299 California Avenue is focused on “supporting start-ups and innovators by providing professional consulting, co-working spaces, and community platforms,” the council said in a post on its Web site. The office is the second overseas start-up hub established by the council, after a similar site was set up in Tokyo in September last year. Representatives from Taiwanese start-ups, local businesses and
‘DETERRENT’: US national security adviser-designate Mike Waltz said that he wants to speed up deliveries of weapons purchased by Taiwan to deter threats from China US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, affirmed his commitment to peace in the Taiwan Strait during his confirmation hearing in Washington on Tuesday. Hegseth called China “the most comprehensive and serious challenge to US national security” and said that he would aim to limit Beijing’s expansion in the Indo-Pacific region, Voice of America reported. He would also adhere to long-standing policies to prevent miscalculations, Hegseth added. The US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing was the first for a nominee of Trump’s incoming Cabinet, and questions mostly focused on whether he was fit for the
SHARED VALUES: The US, Taiwan and other allies hope to maintain the cross-strait ‘status quo’ to foster regional prosperity and growth, the former US vice president said Former US vice president Mike Pence yesterday vowed to continue to support US-Taiwan relations, and to defend the security and interests of both countries and the free world. At a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Pence said that the US and Taiwan enjoy strong and continued friendship based on the shared values of freedom, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Such foundations exceed limitations imposed by geography and culture, said Pence, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time. The US and Taiwan have shared interests, and Americans are increasingly concerned about China’s
RSS