Legislative Yuan Postpones Review of Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act Amendment, Suspected of Being Tailored for Chou Tien-lun
A proposed amendment to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act, suspected of being tailored to benefit Pingtung County Council Speaker Chou Tien-lun in his signature bribery case, was postponed by the Legislative Yuan after criticism from DPP legislators as a 'bribery sentence reduction clause.'
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 11:26
- 🔍 Collected: May 7, 2026 at 11:31 (5 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 7, 2026 at 13:00 (1h 29m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Chen Chun-hua, Taipei 7th) Media reported that Kuomintang (KMT) legislators proposed an amendment to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act, intending to resolve the signature bribery case involving Pingtung County Council Speaker Chou Tien-lun. The Legislative Yuan's Internal Administration Committee scheduled a review of this case today, but Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators criticized it as a 'tailor-made bribery sentence reduction clause' and proposed changing the agenda. After discussion, convener Liao Hsien-hsiang stated that the review would be continued at a later date after a proposal from the Executive Yuan.
Pingtung County Council Speaker Chou Tien-lun, a KMT member, was involved in a case where he allegedly assisted Terry Gou's presidential signature campaign with NT$5 million. He was sentenced to 4 years in prison in the first instance for violating the Election and Recall Act, and the second instance changed the sentence to 3 years and 2 months. The Kaohsiung High Administrative Court will announce its retrial verdict on May 27.
Media reported that to reverse local election results, KMT legislators proposed amending Article 87 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act. This amendment would add 'when the person being signed for has not registered as a candidate' to the provisions concerning offering, promising, or giving bribes or other improper benefits to signatories to sign for or not sign for a specific person, and would add 'detention or fine' as a sentencing option, leading to suspicions that it was tailored to resolve Chou Tien-lun's case.
This morning, the Legislative Yuan's Internal Administration Committee invited Minister of the Interior Liu Shih-fang to attend and review amendments to parts of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act and the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act.
DPP legislator Lee Po-yi stated in a procedural发言 that it was regrettable that the 115th annual general budget had finally been referred to the committee, but no police and fire-related budgets were scheduled for review this week. He also mentioned media reports that the KMT proposed an amendment to help Chou Tien-lun, even claiming it must pass the committee today, to amend the law specifically for certain individuals and to protect bribery.
DPP legislator Huang Jie said it was regrettable that today's agenda included a tailor-made bribery sentence reduction clause. To gain Chou Tien-lun's support and increase votes for Su Ching-chuan, they are trying to amend the law so that Chou Tien-lun would not be imprisoned for vote-buying. Media reported that KMT legislators also do not support it, so perhaps it should not be reviewed.
Subsequently, Lee Po-yi proposed changing the agenda, and Lin Szu-ming and others proposed that the amendment to Article 87 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act not be deliberated today and be scheduled for deliberation at a later date. The convener of the Legislative Yuan's Internal Administration Committee, KMT legislator Liao Hsien-hsiang, announced a recess for discussion.
After nearly 15 minutes of discussion, Liao Hsien-hsiang stated that due to the change in agenda, the amendment to Article 87 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act proposed by Lin Szu-ming and 21 others would not be processed today. It would be scheduled for continued review at a later date after the Executive Yuan submits its version. (Editor: Wan Shu-chang) 1150507
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(Central News Agency reporter Chen Chun-hua, Taipei 7th) Media reported that Kuomintang (KMT) legislators proposed an amendment to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act, intending to resolve the signature bribery case involving Pingtung County Council Speaker Chou Tien-lun. The Legislative Yuan's Internal Administration Committee scheduled a review of this case today, but Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators criticized it as a 'tailor-made bribery sentence reduction clause' and proposed changing the agenda. After discussion, convener Liao Hsien-hsiang stated that the review would be continued at a later date after a proposal from the Executive Yuan.
Pingtung County Council Speaker Chou Tien-lun, a KMT member, was involved in a case where he allegedly assisted Terry Gou's presidential signature campaign with NT$5 million. He was sentenced to 4 years in prison in the first instance for violating the Election and Recall Act, and the second instance changed the sentence to 3 years and 2 months. The Kaohsiung High Administrative Court will announce its retrial verdict on May 27.
Media reported that to reverse local election results, KMT legislators proposed amending Article 87 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act. This amendment would add 'when the person being signed for has not registered as a candidate' to the provisions concerning offering, promising, or giving bribes or other improper benefits to signatories to sign for or not sign for a specific person, and would add 'detention or fine' as a sentencing option, leading to suspicions that it was tailored to resolve Chou Tien-lun's case.
This morning, the Legislative Yuan's Internal Administration Committee invited Minister of the Interior Liu Shih-fang to attend and review amendments to parts of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act and the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act.
DPP legislator Lee Po-yi stated in a procedural发言 that it was regrettable that the 115th annual general budget had finally been referred to the committee, but no police and fire-related budgets were scheduled for review this week. He also mentioned media reports that the KMT proposed an amendment to help Chou Tien-lun, even claiming it must pass the committee today, to amend the law specifically for certain individuals and to protect bribery.
DPP legislator Huang Jie said it was regrettable that today's agenda included a tailor-made bribery sentence reduction clause. To gain Chou Tien-lun's support and increase votes for Su Ching-chuan, they are trying to amend the law so that Chou Tien-lun would not be imprisoned for vote-buying. Media reported that KMT legislators also do not support it, so perhaps it should not be reviewed.
Subsequently, Lee Po-yi proposed changing the agenda, and Lin Szu-ming and others proposed that the amendment to Article 87 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act not be deliberated today and be scheduled for deliberation at a later date. The convener of the Legislative Yuan's Internal Administration Committee, KMT legislator Liao Hsien-hsiang, announced a recess for discussion.
After nearly 15 minutes of discussion, Liao Hsien-hsiang stated that due to the change in agenda, the amendment to Article 87 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act proposed by Lin Szu-ming and 21 others would not be processed today. It would be scheduled for continued review at a later date after the Executive Yuan submits its version. (Editor: Wan Shu-chang) 1150507
Choose to stand with the facts. Every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.