Chiao Cheng-chung (喬正中), director of Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu’s (洪秀柱) presidential campaign office, was yesterday summoned by the Special Investigation Division (SID) of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in the ongoing probe over the replacement of Hung as the KMT’s presidential candidate.
Chiao was summoned as a witness, the SID said.
Separately yesterday, the SID also summoned Hung adviser and speech writer Ko Ming-hsiu (柯明秀) for questioning regarding Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Ting-fei’s (陳亭妃) allegation that two individuals had attended a meeting between KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) and Hung, in which Chu allegedly either pressured or enticed Hung to drop her candidacy.
Chen claimed the “two individuals” possessed an audio recording of that meeting.
The investigation also aims to clarify the allegation that Chu offered a payment of NT$30 million (US$917,824) to Hung as financial inducement in exchange for her quitting the race, which allowed the KMT to convene a party congress on Oct. 17 to nominate Chu to replace Hung as the party’s candidate.
Chen and Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Chou Ni-an (周倪安), took legal action against Chu and KMT Secretary-General Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) earlier this month, accusing the two of so inn a teng (搓圓仔湯), a commonly used Hoklo (also known as Taiwanese) term that means “kneading to make rice ball soup.”
When used in a political context, the term means schemes involving the coaxing of a candidate to drop out of a race by offering money, a government position or other enticements.
However, such actions are a violation of Article 84 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act (總統副總統選舉罷免法), which stipulates that “anyone who asks for an expected promise or asks a candidate or a person having the qualification of candidate to abandon the campaign or conduct certain actions by offering bribes or other undue benefits” is punishable by law.
On Oct. 21, the SID separately summoned Chu, Lee and Hung for questioning in the matter.
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
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