Scuffles over Taiwan law change to clear former president Chen Shui-bian of state fund corruption charges

KMT legislators hurl water-filled cups at proponents of retrospective amendment to accounting act

Chen had been accused of misusing state funds during his presidency, charges he says were politically motivated

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Kuomintang lawmakers protest in Taiwan’s legislature on Monday over changes to the accounting act. Photo: CNA

Published: 4:07pm, 30 May 2022

Taiwan’s legislature has paved the way for corruption charges against a former president to be dropped, passing an amendment to a bill amid scuffles among lawmakers on Monday.

Lawmakers from the ruling, independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party pushed through the final reading of the amendment to the accounting act which technically allows authorities to dismiss charges against Chen Shui-bian over his use of special state funds when was president from 2000 to 2008.

Shouting “supporting the amendment is supporting corruption”, opposition Kuomintang lawmakers tried to block the review session by occupying the podium.

DPP legislators pushed them away from the podium and were met with a barrage of plastic cups filled with water.

The ruling party lawmakers swiftly read the text of the amendment and approved it to complete the legislative process.

Former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian waves as he arrives at the high court in Taipei on June 11, 2010. He was given a 20-year jail term for accepting bribes. Photo: Reuters

Chen, the island’s first president from the DPP, was jailed for life in 2009 for accepting bribes, a sentence reduced to 20 years on appeal.