Weng Hsiao-ling refuses to apologise as KMT candidates scramble to douse the flames

Sep 01, 2026

The KMT legislative caucus's resolution to cut and freeze the Presidential Office's state affairs fund has touched off a controversy over mooncakes made by sheltered workshops — clearly bad news for the party's prospects in the 2026 elections.

  • Weng Hsiao-ling proposed cutting and freezing the state affairs fund, and the motion passed with 57 votes thanks to caucus mobilisation, hitting sheltered workshops' orders for 15,000 boxes of mooncakes.
  • Lu Shiow-yen, Chiang Wan-an and Cheng Li-wun separately took up orders, bought at their own expense and pledged to purchase the entire stock, leaving the party's star local leaders to clean up the caucus's mess.
  • The seven legislators who voted in favour are about to enter races for county magistrate and city mayor, and will have to explain to voters why they backed the cut and freeze.
  • Fu Kun-chi admitted that the review did not carve out the needs of sheltered workshops, yet the caucus waited until the controversy had widened before apologising.

Outlook: Weng Hsiao-ling does not intend to apologise, responding instead by working the grassroots harder, and the blaze may well spread into the 2026 local election campaign.

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