KMT mulls measures against Han critic

By Ann Maxon / Staff reporter





The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday said it is mulling disciplinary measures against former Kaohsiung County commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興) after he accused KMT presidential nominee and Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) of being “incompetent and untrustworthy.”

Yang, who had supported Han during his mayoral bid last year, is the second KMT member facing possible loss of party membership for criticizing Han.

On Monday, the KMT New Taipei City chapter passed a decision to revoke the membership of KMT Central Advisory Committee member Chen Hung-chang (陳宏昌) for saying that Han spent most of his time playing mahjong, drinking and womanizing.

Former Kaohsiung County commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Wang Jung-hsiang, Taipei Times

The decision is to be reviewed by the KMT Central Disciplinary Committee and Central Standing Committee today for final confirmation.

Yang on Monday also accused Han of frequenting nightclubs, drinking excessively and having extramarital affairs.

Han had admitted to having a pleasure-seeking lifestyle two decades ago and said that he has changed, but some of those behaviors have continued, Yang said on Facebook.

KMT Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) has said that politicians should be wise, competent, trustworthy and kind, but Yang said Han has none of those qualities.

For example, “Han said he does not care about money, but he has not fulfilled his promise during the Nov. 11 [last year] rally in Fongshan District (鳳山) about donating all of his election subsidies to charity,” he said.

Han also owns “luxury mansions” and has many political connections through his wife’s family, Yang said.

Despite having aligned himself with “commoners,” Han should be considered part of the establishment, he added.

It would be better for Han, the KMT and the nation if he focuses on keeping his position as mayor, Yang said.

Asked for comments, Han said he does understand why Yang made the false accusations.

“Since taking office as mayor, I have not gotten drunk and I do not even know what a nightclub looks like,” he told reporters.

He has donated to charity many times, but he never felt the need to advertise it, he said, adding: “I do not want to show all my donation receipts, because that is not the point.”

The KMT should not tolerate slander against its presidential nominee in the period leading up to the presidential and legislative elections on Jan. 11 next year, KMT Central Standing Committee member Yao Chiang-ling (姚江臨) said.

“Yang’s party membership should absolutely be revoked, as with the case of Chen,” he said, adding that he has urged KMT headquarters to revoke Yang’s membership.

The KMT Kaohsiung chapter would gather information related to Yang’s remarks to see if they caused harm to the party or Han, and determine whether to mete out disciplinary measures, chapter head Chuang Chi-wang (莊啟旺) said.

Additional reporting by Lin Liang-sheng and CNA