2026 Elections: Puma Shen interview draws KMT ire

INTERNECINE WARFARE: Public figure and media personality Jaw Shaw-kong has allegedly caught flak from within the KMT for interviewing the mayoral hopeful

• By Liu Wan-lin and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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Media personality and politician Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康) yesterday shot back at critics who called for his expulsion from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) for interviewing Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋), the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate.

“Will a couple of my interviews cost the KMT the election? Am I really that important?” he asked in response to requests for comment.

Jaw’s remarks came hours after local news media reported that KMT Central Standing Committee member Chiang Yung-hsiung (江永雄) has initiated a petition to remove him over disapproval that Jaw’s two interviews with Shen over the past week.

Media personality and politician Jaw Shaw-kong, right, poses with Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen after his interview with the candidate in Taipei on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the Shen campaign office via CNA

Shen, a DPP lawmaker, is challenging incumbent Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) of the KMT in next month’s Taipei mayoral election.

Jaw, former chairman of the Broadcasting Corp of China, served as a KMT lawmaker and as environmental minister from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.

He has remained a prominent voice in Taiwan’s media and politics, and he ran unsuccessfully on the KMT ticket for vice president in 2024.

The KMT does not appear to be performing well in most polls and its supporters appear to be outnumbered in Taipei and New Taipei City, although many might be keeping silent in fear of judgement, Jaw said yesterday.

“The KMT also has many stupid, out-of-touch supporters who think that they alone are always right and that the people are wrong, that anyone who disagrees with them is by default on the wrong side,” he said. “These guys are incapable of listening, just as the KMT most needs to learn the humility and patience needed to be receptive of the voice of the people.”

Jaw reiterated that he did not care in the slightest if he was expelled from the party, but said the issue needed to be made clear.

The media should provide a fair platform to all sides and not treat the platform as the exclusive domain of their own party or faction, he said.

Chiang is scheduled to appear on his program next week, Jaw said, adding that each guest’s performance speaks for itself and listeners can make their own judgements.

Separately, when asked by reporters for comment, Chiang said he wished Jaw the best upon hearing the news about the petition.

Asked whether he would urge KMT supporters to refrain from attacking each other, Chiang said he hoped people would approach the issue rationally and focus on the facts.