Politics

Hung dismisses reports of NT$500m offer to quit

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 14, 2015
By: Alison Hsiao  /  Staff reporter

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday brushed off a rumor that she demanded NT$500 million (US$15.3 million) from party headquarters in exchange for withdrawing from the race.

When asked about the NT$500 million rumor, which Hung herself brought up at a KMT rally on Monday night, the deputy legislative speaker said: “[I brought it up] because there are people who keep spreading similar rumors about tradeoffs.”

Hung on Monday rebuked as a joke a rumor that she asked for NT$500 million in exchange for her withdrawal, calling it a serious offense and an insult to her integrity.

“Am I only worth NT$500 million? It is way too little,” Hung said

She asked KMT legislator-at-large Hsu Shao-ping (徐少萍), who was also at the event, to put a price on her, and answered her own question by saying: “Priceless.”     [FULL  STORY]

CY: campaign donations must be returned if Hung drops out

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-12
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The Control Yuan pointed out Monday that if Kuomintang presidential

CY: campaign donations must be returned. Central News Agency

CY: campaign donations must be returned. Central News Agency

candidate Hung Hsiu-chu drops out of her bid for the January 16 election, she will need to cease using the fund generated by political contributions.

Should this be the case, Hung would have to file for a disclosure report on campaign contributions and expenditures, where the remaining balance will be returned to government coffers, according to Control Yuan Secretary-General Fu Meng-jung.

Fu made the comment during a question-and-answer session at the legislature Monday morning, where he responded to KMT Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang regarding whether Hung should return the campaign donations even if she was forced out.     [FULL  STORY]

KMT to pick new presidential candidate on Oct. 17

Want China Times
Date: 2015-10-12
By: CNA

Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang decided Monday to hold a special party

Hung Hsiu-chu speaks to reporters, Oct. 10. (Photo/Yao Chih-ping)

Hung Hsiu-chu speaks to reporters, Oct. 10. (Photo/Yao Chih-ping)

congress in Taipei on Oct. 17 to select a new presidential candidate in place of Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu.

It is expected that party chair Eric Chu will be named the new candidate for the Jan. 16, 2016 election.

The KMT decided last week to take steps to have Hung replaced as she continued to lag in public opinion polls far behind Tsai Ing-wen, chair and presidential candidate of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai Ing-wen under the spotlight at ROC National Day ceremony

Want China Times
Date: 2015-10-11
By: CNA and Staff Reporter

Tsai Ing-wen, the chair and presidential candidate of Taiwan’s opposition

Tsai Ing-wen attends the National Day ceremony in Taipei, Oct. 10. (Photo/CNA)

Tsai Ing-wen attends the National Day ceremony in Taipei, Oct. 10. (Photo/CNA)

Democratic Progressive Party, spoke of solidarity as she attended the Republic of China National Day ceremony on Saturday under the close watch of local media.

It was the first time Tsai had attended a National Day ceremony since President Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang took office in 2008, despite being the head of the DPP from 2008 to 2012 and again in 2014.

Before attending the ceremony, Tsai said she was taking part in this year’s festivities hoping that it will no longer be an issue whether or not opposition parties take part in National Day celebrations. She also said an atmosphere of solidarity has begun to emerge in the natio, and expressed the hope that everybody could unite to protect Taiwan’s valuable democracy and freedom and that the nation would stay united however the presidential campaign develops.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai: future of Taiwan is for the people to decide

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-11
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The future of Taiwan is a decision to be made by its people rather than

Tsai: future of Taiwan is for people to decide. Central News Agency

Tsai: future of Taiwan is for people to decide. Central News Agency

external forces, Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen said on Sunday.

Her comments came in response to President Ma Ying-jeou’s National Day speech in which he said the status quo is nothing without the so-called “1992 Consensus.”

“Only the people can decide on which direction the future government should take,” she said during an autumn festival gathering hosted by the Taipei city government, adding that Ma has distanced himself from the wishes of the people as a result of his closed-door policies.

Tsai also pointed out that majority of the public have long expressed their dissatisfaction over Ma’s seven years of administration, as shown in various opinion polls conducted by the nation’s public agencies.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai draws media scrutiny at Double Ten

DPP leader chatted with KMT rival, sang most of anthem

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-10
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai

Tsai draws media scrutiny at Double Ten. Central News Agency (2015-10-10 15:04:09)

Tsai draws media scrutiny at Double Ten. Central News Agency (2015-10-10 15:04:09)

Ing-wen came under close media scrutiny Saturday as she attended the Double Ten National Day celebrations for the first time in eight years.

Taiwan’s media were especially interested in her interaction with other, mostly Kuomintang, political heavyweights and in her attitude toward the national anthem.

Ever since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008, the DPP leadership had stayed away from the official parades and banquets on October 10 in Taipei City. Tsai changed her mind this time because she wanted to emphasize harmony in the run-up to the January 16 presidential and legislative elections, which she is highly likely to win.     [FULL  STORY]

Hung invites supporters to rally

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-10
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Kuomintang presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu

Hung invites supporters to rally. Central News Agency

Hung invites supporters to rally. Central News Agency

on Saturday invited her supporters to a rally later in the weekend, even though it was clear a KMT congress would replace her with chairman Eric Liluan Chu later this month.

While agreeing to have the special congress decide her fate as a candidate in the January 16 election, Hung has also insisted she wanted to defend her case and if possible, discuss her arguments with each congress delegate.

On her Facebook page Saturday, she invited 120 supporters to show up at her campaign headquarters Sunday evening to feel free to voice their opinions and interact with her.     [FULL  STORY]

KMT’s brouhaha leaves Ko as miffed as the next spectator

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-08
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je said he is as miffed as the next spectator with

KMT’s brouhaha leaves Ko as miffed as anyone else. Central News Agency (2015-10-08 15:11:00)

KMT’s brouhaha leaves Ko as miffed as anyone else. Central News Agency (2015-10-08 15:11:00)

regard to Kuomintang’s recent brouhaha, reports said Thursday.

“Must it be Eric Chu that runs? What about New Taipei then?” Ko responded to reporters when asked about his views on the possible change to Kuomintang’s presidential candidacy.

“What is the KMT up to now?” he said, commenting on a decision that was made by the party’s Central Standing Committee on Wednesday to convene an extraordinary national party congress to discuss Hung’s replacement. The meeting was the latest phase of a sudden escalating rupture between Hung and the KMT leadership.

Ko was at a city planning forum in Taipei to discuss public housing policies when asked about the impact Chu would create on People’s First Party presidential contender James Soong if he were to run next year.     [FULL  STORY]

Any meet with Chu should be open: Soong

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-09
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – If Kuomintang Chairman Eric Liluan Chu were to

Any meet with Chu should be open: Soong. Central News Agency (2015-10-08 21:07:15)

Any meet with Chu should be open: Soong. Central News Agency (2015-10-08 21:07:15)

visit him for talks, those would have to take place in the open and not behind closed doors, People First Party Chairman James Soong said Friday.

Now that the KMT has decided to replace its presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu with Chu at a congress before the end of the month, it is highly likely to seek out Soong to discuss an alliance with him in order to take him out of the race for the July 16 election.

Soong said he was willing to discuss any topic with Chu, but he did not want to be accused of involvement in so-called backroom deals or negotiations behind closed doors.     [FULL  STORY]

Ko says term cap affects long-term policymaking

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 10, 2015
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

The downside to the nation’s electoral system is the limit it sets on the terms a government official is allowed to serve, which hinders long-term policymaking, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.

Ko was responding to questions by reporters about the city government’s funding of the “2050 Vision Platform” aimed at fine-tuning the city’s urban renewal projects until 2050, which, according to New Party Taipei City Councilor Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯), would cost the city government NT$15 million (US$456,620) over the next two years.

Since the platform is to be financed by the city government, Chen on Wednesday asked officials of the Taipei Department of Budget, Accounting and Statistics why the city government had not proposed a budget for the platform.

He added that as the funds do not need to be approved by the city council, the capital used for the project could evade city councilors’ scrutiny.     [FULL  STORY]