The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday criticized the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) for planning to revoke the membership of a retired party staffer who has decided to support Su.
Peng Pin-yi (彭炳義), a former borough chief in Songshan District (松山), who has been a KMT member for more than 40 years, was furious at a handwritten note on an envelope containing an election campaign notification sent by the KMT’s Taipei branch, which described him as being “pro-green.” Incensed, Peng attended a campaign event organized by Su on Thursday night and publicly endorsed the DPP candidate.
“Peng decided to support me because he believes in my capabilities. The KMT, instead of reflecting upon its own mistakes, plans to punish him. That is a double error of judgment by the KMT,” Su said yesterday after visiting Guandu Temple.
Peng lashed out at the KMT for labeling him pro-green and said he decided to support Su despite the party’s threat to revoke his party membership.
KMT Taipei branch director Pan Chia-sen (潘家森) yesterday declined to confirm whether the party would cancel Peng’s membership and accused the DPP of manipulating the issue.
He further challenged the authenticity of the envelope, arguing that the party does not make notes on campaign letters to members. The envelope provided by Peng as evidence had no party member number, which strongly suggests it could be a fake, Pan said.
“We do not label party members because they all have a pro-blue stance ... Mr. Peng should talk to us if he has any problems,” Pan added.
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