KMT, TPP leaders targeted in Taipei prosecutors’ probe

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The office of former President Ma Ying-jeou accused the Taipei District Prosecutor's Office on Monday (Dec. 4) of directly contradicting President Tsai Ing-wen's recent statement regarding non-interference in judicial matters.

This accusation came as the prosecutor's office initiated an investigation into the Blue-White alliance — a collaboration between political parties — treating it as an illicit "partition of interests," a practice that is otherwise regarded as a norm in Western democratic nations.

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office has named Eric Chu, chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), Hou Yu-ih, the KMT's presidential candidate, and Ko Wen-je, the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) presidential candidate, as defendants under investigation.

KMT spokesperson Yang Chih-yu denounced the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for turning the judiciary into a political weapon and discrediting a model of party cooperation that is common internationally.

Yang pointed out that the DPP itself had previously been involved in similar political arrangements. She referred to the 2014 Taipei City mayoral election, where the DPP stepped back to allow Ko Wen-je to run for mayor.

Also, in 2011, during Tsai Ing-wen's first presidential bid, the idea of a coalition government was brought up by Tsai in the final presidential debate.

Yang's statements raise questions about whether the DPP applies a double standard to political party collaborations.