Chen Wei-ting, the Sunflower movement leader, made a stunning revelation this week (Taipei Times):
In an interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) published yesterday, Chen, who is running for legislator in the by-election in Miaoli County in February, was asked to discuss his potential risk of falling victim to “attacks on his personal integrity,” to which he responded by making the revelation, saying: “There are things that I have kept to myself for a long time.”Essentially Chen Wei-ting stepped into the Miaoli seat campaign and booted out the DPP candidate. The DPP gracefully stepped aside. Only then did he admit that he had this problem in his past that might interfere with the campaign. Not only was that selfish, but it put the DPP in an awkward position -- they have always supported the Sunflowers and kept away from the movement, which helped legitimate it in the public eye as a genuine third force not under the control of the DPP, despite KMT propaganda to the contrary. Chen should have repaid the DPP for its forbearance by revealing this to them PRIOR to taking up the challenge for the seat and evicting their politician, and he should also have met with veteran politicians who have dealt with these things before announcing this. Instead, the DPP has to contemplate action against a Sunflower. Consequently, the DPP is now reconsidering its position on the Miaoli seat.
“One day, during the summer vacation before my senior year in college, I groped the bosom of a female passenger sitting next to me on public transport and was taken to a police station. Sometime later, I had improper physical contact with a female on the dance floor at a night club, for which I underwent mental health consultation at the order of school administrators,” he said.
The reformist party and its leaders must be above reproach. Simple as that. Chen should have confessed to this ages ago -- now, as netizens pointed out, it looks too much like a cynical political ploy, a calculated appearance of remorse.
The by-election is on Feb 7. The DPP said that it will make its decision next Wednesday.
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