Scandal-hit legislator can retain membership

TAIPEI - Taiwan High Court on Monday rejected Kuomintang (KMT)'s counterappeal against a Taipei local court's ruling of temporarily maintaining Wang Jin-pyng's rights as a KMT member.

Wang, head of Taiwan's legislative body, was ousted from the KMT after a KMT disciplinary meeting on Sept 11 for suspected involvement in an illegal lobbying scandal.

He appealed for an injunction of the punishment and won. The Taipei local court ruled on September 13 that he may retain his KMT membership until the final ruling on condition that he pay 9.38 million New Taiwan Dollars ($315,000) as a collateral deposit.

The KMT delivered the counterappeal on Sept 16.

The high court's Monday decision allows the beleaguered legislator to continue to hold his top legislative position.

The KMT can make another counterappeal.