Taiwan Lawmakers Clash Over Election Act Amendment; Professor Criticizes Colleague's Actions

Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed a controversial amendment to the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, a move critics have labeled the "Gao Hongan clause." The amendment, jointly proposed by the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) caucuses, sailed through its third reading.

During the legislative session, TPP legislator Hsu Chung-hsin defended the amendment, suggesting the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had also pushed for similar legislation for one of its own members. This statement provoked an immediate and heated response from DPP legislator Lin Shu-fen. She confronted Hsu, loudly accusing him of making false statements and demanding clarification.

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Hearing that this person is a colleague from Cheng Kung University, to be able to do this for the sake of becoming an official, is power really that good?

The exchange, captured on video, quickly became a focal point of discussion. DPP legislator Lee Po-yi questioned whether the TPP would accept a mayor calling into a committee meeting to demand such a "crude amendment." Hsu's defense, implying the DPP had engaged in similar practices, further fueled the confrontation.

Adding to the public discourse, Lee Chung-hsien, a professor at National Cheng Kung University and a colleague of Hsu's, expressed his dismay on Facebook. He lamented that a colleague would go to such lengths for political gain, questioning the allure of power. Lee Chung-hsien also reflected on the nature of political change, noting how easily stances can shift and justifications found, contrasting it with the difficulty of remaining true to one's past self.

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Super-speeding guy, talking nonsense, was I sentenced?