Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Taipei city councilor candidates Huang Ching-ying and Yang Bao-zheng (楊寶楨) have sparked controversy after posting comments online that were allegedly disrespectful toward Control Yuan President Chen Chu (陳菊).
Huang on Facebook questioned an investigation report published by the Control Yuan, saying that the Control Yuan did not understand the truth and essence of the subject.
Yang, who is also a TPP spokeswoman, left a comment under the post, allegedly insinuating that Chen is “heavy,” to which Huang replied “the truth should be properly investigated no matter how heavy.”
Photo: Tsai Ssu-pei, Taipei Times
Another candidate for Taipei city councilor, Chen Chia-hsing (陳嘉行), said the comments discriminated against female body types.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), the TPP’s chairman, said that “these things should not be overly fussed about,” adding that he hoped “society could be more harmonized.”
Asked whether he felt the need to apologize for once calling Chen a “fatter [former Kaohsiung mayor] Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜),” Ko said that the comment should be laughed off and there was no need to read too much into it.
Separately, Ko is to cycle from Taipei to Kaohsiung on Monday next week. The TPP plans to invite local election candidates to join Ko on the trip.
Taipei City Councilor Lin Ying-meng (林穎孟) asked why a sports event grant of NT$500,000 (US$17,966) funded by the Taipei Department of Sports was being used to fund a TPP campaign event.
The Department of Sports subsidizes various sports associations every year, with NT$7.2 million granted in the first quarter this year, Ko said.
“I like cycling, so I signed up for an event held by the bike association — that is all,” Ko said.
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