Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Pang Chien-kuo (龐建國) was yesterday found dead outside his apartment in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖), apparently having jumped to his death after posting the message “I would rather die than live in this unjust Taiwan” in a KMT group Line chat.
Taipei police and fire officials said they received a report at about 7am that the body of a man, later declared dead at the scene, had been found on Neihu Road.
The man was identified as the 68-year-old Pang, who was known to have been diagnosed with cancer, police said.
The case has been passed to prosecutors to investigate the circumstances leading to his death, police added.
Pang, a former deputy secretary-general of the Straits Exchange Foundation, had taught at Chinese Culture University in Taipei since August 2005.
He was a member of the New Party, the People First Party and then the KMT from 2006. His wife is Chiu Hsiu-chen (邱秀珍), a former TV news anchor.
KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) expressed condolences at the death of Pang on Facebook, calling for party unity in the face of tough challenges ahead.
KMT headquarters issued a statement expressing its deep sorrow and condolences over Pang’s passing, while also noting his “unjust Taiwan” post earlier in the day.
Former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said that Pang had expressed disappointment with the current state of society and the KMT in their recent telephone conversations.
This could be why he gave up fighting, Hau said.
Pang was hired by Hau after the latter was elected Taipei mayor in 2006, and served as deputy chief convener of the city administration advisory team.
The KMT has suffered a string of defeats, including the latest double loss in a Taichung legislative by-election and the recall vote against independent Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) in Taipei on Sunday.
Last month, the 103-year-old party saw all four of the referendum proposals it backed — including two initiated by the party — fail at the polls.
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