By Chris Wang / Staff Reporter
Government-sponsored seminars on cross-strait relations have been used as promotional tools to assist the KMT in the upcoming legislative elections, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators said yesterday.
At least five seminars sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and organized by various universities were held at Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) headquarters in Shueishang (水上) and Dalin (大林) townships in Chiayi, as well as Huwei (虎尾) and Beigang (北港) in Yunlin, DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) said.
One of the seminars was held at the office of KMT Legislator Lin Yi-shi (林益世) in Gangshan (岡山), Greater Kaohsiung, she said, adding that KMT promotional material was distributed at the seminars.
“Why were such seminars held at party headquarters and the office of a specific candidate? The practice is a violation of administrative neutrality,” Chiu said.
The council must stop holding these seminars immediately, DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said, criticizing the executive branch for blatantly using -government resources for partisan interests.
The DPP would also report the case to the Control Yuan and the Agency Against Corruption, as it believes the council has used public funds to campaign for the KMT and is therefore guilty of bribery, Tsai said.
In his defense, Lin said the seminar was held in the parking lot next to his office and there was nothing wrong with him lending a hand to promote the council’s policy.
In a press release, the council said the seminars were -bipartisan events, adding that at least three seminars this year were held in cities under DPP control, with several DPP politicians in attendance.