Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Wellington Koo says he may question both sitting and retired Kuomintang (KMT) leaders as part of a Cabinet inquest into the party’s assets.
In a radio interview on Thursday, Koo said that the KMT can only use its party assets to meet its legal obligations, such as paying salaries. Koo said that since a new law governing party assets took effect, all other uses are forbidden.
Koo said he believes the KMT has sources of income outside of what it receives in party grants, political contributions and membership dues. He said that no political party in a democratic country should have this kind of extra income.
Koo said the KMT must accurately declare the assets it has held since 1945, or else the party may face repeated fines and possible seizure of funds. Koo said that we will sit down and questions both current and former party leaders about party assets if necessary.
The new law concerning party assets is considered an issue of transitional justice. The KMT ruled Taiwan as a party state from 1945 until the country’s first full democratic elections in 1996.