Not long ago, political commentator Luo You-zhi (羅友志) publicly accused New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of “making rice balls” — forcing a candidate to drop out of a race — by offering him NT$5 million (US$163,335).
Following Luo’s accusation, New Taipei City Councilor He Bo-wen (何博文), who is a legislative candidate for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), immediately filed charges at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office against Hou for attempted bribery.
Luo wrote on Facebook that when he was planning to run in the KMT’s primary for the 2014 New Taipei City councilor election in the 8th electoral district, Hou, who was serving as deputy mayor at the time, tried to persuade him to switch to the 11th electoral district by offering him NT$5 million for his campaign fund.
After reading this, He, who is the DPP’s New Taipei City chapter director, filed the charges against Hou for allegedly contravening the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法).
Although Hou’s alleged bribery attempt took place nearly a decade ago in 2014, top prosecutors have repeatedly stressed that there is “no limit” for investigating election bribery or violence.
Therefore, the investigation should not be dismissed, regardless of when the events happened.
In terms of “making rice balls” during a party primary, the suspect might have contravened articles 97 and 101 of the law. He could be punished with fixed-term imprisonment of three to 10 years, and could also be fined NT$2 million to NT$20 million.
If Hou attempted to “make rice balls” during the KMT’s primary, he might have contravened the two articles.
When there are accusations of “making rice balls” during party primaries, top prosecutors have no limits to investigations of election bribery or violence, and bribery investigations are mandated by law.
As Luo has made an accusation and He has already filed charges, prosecutors should investigate the case.
Wang Chou-ming is director of the Anti-Bribery Research Office.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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