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Updated Monday, October 12, 2009 9:21 am TWN, The China Post news staff

KMT expels 7 members

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Kuomintang (KMT) elected a new central standing committee amidst allegations of vote-buying yesterday, while expelling seven candidates for all-important local elections scheduled for December 5.

Almost all 1,529 delegates cast votes in the election of the powerful central standing committee. Turnout was 96.27 percent.

Wu Poh-hsiung, outgoing KMT chairman, deplored the alleged party-wide rigging after he cast his ballot right after President Ma Ying-jeou early in the morning. Ma is all set to double as chairman replacing Wu at a KMT national congress, which will take place at Yangmingshan in suburban Taipei on October 17.

“I've heard a lot about the charges and countercharges among contenders for the central standing committee,” Wu said. “We have issued strong warnings,” he added.

The going price for a vote for a central standing committee seat is NT$30,000, KMT sources said. “That's much higher than in 2005,” one source said.

Four years ago, the KMT was an opposition party. More money had to be given away to secure a spot on the committee, an equivalent of a politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, now that the KMT runs the government.

Sumptuous dinners have been hosted and expensive gifts given away to increase the odds of 46 candidates vying for 32 posts on the committee, which attends to the day-to-day business of the party in dichotomy with the Cabinet.

Most allegations were made by members of the League of Regretful Kuomintang Delegates to the 18th party congress. Even a heavyweight who is a committee member was forced to wine and dine delegates, said one member of the league who refused to be identified.

Even policemen on their beats were asked to campaign for a few candidates for the KMT politburo.

“We'll investigate all allegations,” KMT secretary-general Chan Chun-po promised.

“Anybody found to have violated the no-vote-buying order of the party to get elected will have his election invalidated,” Chan threatened.

Thirty-two members of the central standing committee were duly elected.

Hung Yu-chin, a former lawmaker, garnered the most votes. He got 1,099.

Legislator Huang Chao-hsun followed with 1,064 votes. There was a three-way tie at third. Ex-lawmaker Yao Chiang-lin, lawmaker Lee Chuan-chiao and honorary KMT chairman Lien Chan's son Lien Sheng-wen received 1,055 votes each.

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October 12, 2009 alchou626@

Those 7 might as well defect to the DPP...

October 13, 2009 peanuts@

.....and join the DPP bandwagon inside the Legislative Yuan.


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