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進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Control Yuan has no role in dispute: Lai
Tainan Mayor William Lai speaks to reporters outside the Control Yuan in Taipei yesterday. He was summoned to answer questions over his boycott of Tainan City Council meetings since the beginning of February. Photo: CNA
BOYCOTT: William Lai said the watchdog agency can intervene in local matters only if a legal issue is involved, and that he is standing up against rampant political corruption
By Chung Li-hua and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
The Control Yuan has no grounds for intervening in his boycott of Tainan City Council meetings because his dispute is based in politics, not the law, Tainan Mayor William Lai （賴清德） yesterday said ahead of a meeting with two Control Yuan members in Taipei.
Lai, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party, began his boycott in February, saying he would not attend the meetings until the corruption cases against Tainan Council Speaker Lee Chuan-chiao （李全教）, a Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） member, are settled.
Lee was indicted in April in connection with alleged vote-buying in last year’s Tainan City Council speakership election and was released on bail of NT$15 million （US$479,616）. Prosecutors have also filed a lawsuit contesting the eligibility of his election as a city councilor.
Lai was summoned by Control Yuan members Bao Tzong-ho （包宗和） and Chang Kuei-mei （仉桂美） for questioning yesterday over his boycott.
Lee is the first person to be involved in two vote-buying scandals for both his position as a city councilor and city council speaker, and is a stain on Tainan’s democratic traditions, Lai said, adding that he was trying to uphold the city’s dignity by abstaining from the city council sessions.
“I will shoulder all responsibility and hope my actions provide a catalyst to reform the political culture in local governments,” Lai said.
Lai said the Control Yuan’s questioning showed a lack of respect for local governments’ autonomous rule and its independent role from the central government, citing the Council of Grand Justices’ Interpretation No. 498 as legal backing.
A local government and representatives of the local populace balance each other and do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Control Yuan, as the central government can supervise or intervene in local government matters only on select issues, Lai said.
Any potential investigation into his absence from city council meetings or calls to have him recalled from office are not within the Control Yuan’s jurisdiction, Lai said.
Bribery and vote buying is rampant nationwide — except in Taipei, where there has been a slight improvement — Lai said, adding that the practice has become so common that the public takes it for granted.
Without a solution to these problems, it is difficult to implement city government policies or curb city government debt, the mayor said.
However, if the Control Yuan were willing to research solutions to such problems, he would be willing to pay the price.
“The Control Yuan needs to support the voices calling for reform in society and should launch an investigation into the rampant vote buying in local politics,” Lai said.
He urged the Tainan District Court and the Taiwan High Court to expedite the legal proceedings in Lee’s cases.
“The Control Yuan must be courageous and maintain moral integrity, instead of bowing to governmental pressure,” Lai added.
Lai said he would not attend Friday’s city council meeting, adding that there are many channels that city councilors can use to approach him or ask him to take action, adding that city councilors should not enjoy their salaries and do nothing, even if the city council is not in session.
Additional reporting by CNA
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
