TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — DPP caucus leader Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) accused fellow DPP legislators of colluding with outside forces to undermine the party on Tuesday.
During an online program hosted by TV host Cheng Hung-yi (鄭弘儀), Ker claimed DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) had teamed up with KMT legislators to push for cuts to Taiwan's defense budget, per UpMedia. He also accused DPP Legislator Wang Shi-chien (王世堅) of secretly recording and leaking party caucus meetings to media outlets.
The conflict reportedly erupted from DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-ting’s (陳冠廷) attempt to be elected as the DPP convener for the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee. Wang Shi-chien allegedly clashed with Ker over the treatment of Chen during a meeting on Thursday, per ETtoday.
Ker denied having any personal issue with Chen as convener but pointed out that Chen did not meet the party's internal requirements for the position. He claimed he tried to reach Chen to discuss the matter, but Chen had repeatedly hung up on his calls.
Wang Shi-chien argued on Wednesday that Chen had received support from party committee members, as required, though Ker vetoed the appointment, saying the caucus leader has the final say on such decisions. Wang Shi-chien accused Ker of verbally abusing Chen during the meeting.
DPP Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee convener Puma Shen (沈伯洋), elected on Wednesday, said the caucus meeting had elected him as convener and that Chen had no issues communicating with him, per Newtalk.
After addressing Chen, Ker shifted his focus to Wang Shi-chien, accusing him of recording DPP caucus meetings and showing disloyalty to the party. Wang Shi-chien rejected these accusations, calling for an investigation.
In addition to targeting Wang Shi-chien, Ker accused former Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee convener Wang Ting-yu of working with KMT legislators Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) and Ma Wen-chun (馬文君) in the committee to cut defense budgets, including the F-16 upgrade program. Wang Ting-yu responded on Wednesday by saying that DPP legislators were committed to defending key projects, such as the budget for Taiwan’s domestically produced submarine program.
Wang Ting-yu noted that committee meetings in the Legislative Yuan are recorded and that he was not worried about any misunderstandings, per UDN.
Sources indicated that DPP members within the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee support Chen, who is associated with former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). Ker’s appointment of Shen, who had backed Chen for the role, reportedly caused discontent among Tsai’s faction, per CMmedia.
