This Week's Hottest Insider Scoop: Han Kuo-yu's Fury, Asking 'Why Didn't You Hit Fu Kun-chi?' — $100M Scam Against Tzu Chi, Vaccine Gold Scammers Met Master Cheng Yen

2026 marks a major local election year in Taiwan. Beyond external geopolitical tensions such as the U.S.-Iran conflict and cross-strait instability, President Lai Qing-te’s administration, aiming to expand its ruling footprint, faces significant domestic challenges. However, the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) also grapples with internal unrest. Recently, Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu took the rare step of directly confronting KMT caucus leader Fu Kun-chi over his fifth absence from budget negotiations without delegating signing authority to Secretary-General Lin Pei-hsiang. Han’s outburst—questioning whether Fu was acting like Empress Dowager Cixi ruling from behind a curtain—turned a routine cross-party meeting into a public display of intra-blue camp discord.

During the session, Han delivered sharp rebukes: 'You refuse the toast but drink the penalty wine,' 'Are you wielding power just to show off?' and 'Are you treating me like a monkey?' His remarks left Lin visibly embarrassed and triggered a political storm within the KMT. Fu later defended himself, claiming he did not disrespect Han but was instead protesting the Executive Yuan’s disregard for legislative authority through passive resistance. Yet Han’s anger reflects deeper frustration over Fu’s unilateral actions and lack of coordination.

Separately, a shocking fraud has emerged from the 2021 private BNT vaccine procurement, once hailed as a lifeline for Taiwan. On August 6, 2026, the Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office and the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau revealed that Chen Yu-hsuan, former chairman of the Changhua Bar Association, and a religious figure’s son, along with a vaccine broker surnamed Li, conspired to defraud Tzu Chi Foundation of NT$1.06 billion. They fabricated consultancy, cold-chain logistics, and administrative fees during the procurement process.

The investigation, launched in April 2026 by the North机动 Station of the MJIB, led to raids uncovering NT$93 million in cash, over 158 kilograms of gold (valued at over NT$650 million), luxury properties, bank deposits, and high-end vehicles. Total seized assets exceeded NT$1.09 billion. Prosecutors indicted the suspects on charges of fraud and money laundering. The case has reignited scrutiny over Tzu Chi’s internal controls and the political controversies surrounding the original vaccine deal.

In Keelung, incumbent KMT Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang is seeking re-election. After narrowly defeating DPP legislator Tsai Shih-yin in 2022 and surviving a recall attempt in 2024, Hsieh was once seen as a 'shoo-in.' However, recent developments suggest the race is tightening. The DPP has unified behind Council Speaker Tung Tzu-wei, and former KMT allies, including a former council speaker and a local 'Avengers' faction, are now supporting the DPP candidate, signaling shifting local loyalties.

Meanwhile, former Executive Yuan Policy Advisor Chang Jing-sen has reignited debate over the 'High-Speed Rail Extension to Yilan' project, approved on July 23, 2026, with a budget of NT$35.21 billion. Chang, a long-time DPP insider, has fiercely criticized the plan as a 'useless appendix high-speed rail' built solely for electoral gain, calling it a 'historical mistake' and a return to 'pork barrel politics.' Despite threats to quit the party and speculation about running for Yilan County Magistrate, Chang ultimately stated he would remain in the DPP to serve as a 'crowing crow'—a critical voice from within.