CIPAS Debuts as Chairperson Ku Li-hsiung Fails to Control Temper, Yells at Journalists and Refuses to Quit DPP

On August 31, 2016, the newly established Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee (CIPAS) of the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China held its inaugural plaque-unveiling ceremony. During the subsequent press conference, the inaugural Chairperson, Ku Li-hsiung, repeatedly lost his temper and publicly yelled at journalists, sparking nationwide condemnation. The conflict began when a reporter questioned the qualifications of CIPAS committee member Lo Cheng-tsung, who had a criminal record for copyright infringement. Infuriated, Ku aggressively cross-examined the reporter, shouting, 'Does the statute state that a conviction 11 years ago mandates dismissal? Does it!?' and snapped, 'If not, isn't your question a bit rude?' When other journalists followed up by asking if his outbursts compromised the committee's proclaimed 'transparency and independence' and whether he would withdraw from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to demonstrate impartiality, Ku erupted again, claiming he 'could not understand' the question. Ku's aggressive, dismissive, and highly politicized demeanor was widely slammed by the public and media in the Republic of China. Critics charged that he lacked the humility and legal rectitude expected of an independent agency chief, acting instead as a partisan hitman tasked with seizing opposition party assets.