TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — New Power Party Chair Wang Wan-yu (王婉諭) on Tuesday urged Justice Minister Cheng Ming-chien (鄭銘謙) to investigate alleged leaks tied to Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Tai-hua (林岱樺).
Lin, who is running in the DPP’s Kaohsiung mayoral primary while facing embezzlement charges, was recently the subject of a Mirror Media report citing court documents, phone conversations, and other materials suggesting an unusual relationship with family friend and monk Shih Huang-chih (釋煌智), per UDN. She condemned the report as character assassination and said she will remain in the primary race.
Wang questioned the relevance of the report’s alleged personal conversations to the embezzlement case, per Tai Sounds. She warned that repeated leaks of what appear to be judicial investigation materials could erode public trust in Taiwan’s judiciary, and called on Cheng to open an investigation.
The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office said Tuesday the investigation had concluded and all relevant case documents had been submitted to the district court, per ETtoday.
DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Wu Szu-yao (吳思瑤) said Lin had already addressed the issue and stressed the importance of avoiding public comment on active cases, per ETtoday.
Criticism of the report also came from across party lines. Kaohsiung City Councilor Hsueh Chao-chi (薛兆基) called it character assassination, per Newtalk, saying that while a politician’s performance and character should be scrutinized, such evaluations should not infringe on personal privacy.
Kuomintang Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) emphasized the need to maintain judicial neutrality and avoid personal attacks during elections, per UDN. Fellow KMT legislator Wu Tsung-hsien (吳宗憲) urged the Ministry of Justice to address long-standing confidentiality issues in investigations, and called on the media to uphold ethical standards when reporting on legal cases, per Newtalk.
DPP insiders expressed concern that Lin’s legal troubles could affect the primary process, per Liberty Times. With the KMT’s candidate, Ko, already confirmed, some argued the DPP should move quickly to finalize its nomination.
