A New Taipei City councillor has been charged with bribery after allegedly hiding NT$200,000 in cash inside a whisky gift box for a city official — bad news for the KMT and for public trust in how city contracts are awarded.

• Wang Wei-yuan is accused of helping a company that did not qualify for a city market rebuilding contract get the qualification rules dropped.
• Prosecutors say he passed the market department chief a handwritten note naming the firm and asked him to "help where he can."
• The gift box of Royal Salute whisky reportedly held cash; the official found it three days later and handed it to the city's ethics office.
• Prosecutors are seeking a three-year sentence, saying the scheme undermined fair public procurement.
• Wang denies wrongdoing, saying the money was meant to make the official forget the note, and argues prosecutors cannot name which firm he bribed for.

Outlook: The case now goes to court, with a consultant from Wang's office and others still under separate investigation.