Yen Kuan-heng (Chinese: 顏寬恆; pinyin: Yán Kuānhéng; born 14 September 1977) is a Taiwanese politician. He was elected to the Legislative Yuan from Taichung in 2013, to replace his father Yen Ching-piao in office. Yen lost reelection to Chen Po-wei in 2020, and returned to office in 2024.
Yen Kuan-heng | |
---|---|
顏寬恆 | |
Member of the Legislative Yuan | |
Assumed office 1 February 2024 | |
Preceded by | Lin Ching-yi |
Constituency | Taichung II |
In office 1 February 2013 – 31 January 2020 | |
Preceded by | Yen Ching-piao |
Succeeded by | Chen Po-wei |
Constituency | Taichung II |
Personal details | |
Born | Shalu, Taichung, Taiwan | 14 September 1977
Nationality | Republic of China |
Political party | Kuomintang (since 2012) |
Parent | Yen Ching-piao (father) |
Relatives | Yen Li-ming (sister) |
Education | Dominican University of California (MBA) |
Occupation | politician |
Political career
editYen Kuan-heng helped run his father's first legislative campaign in 2001,[1] and worked as the elder Yen's legislative assistant.[2] Yen Ching-piao was sentenced to prison in November 2012 and expelled from the Legislative Yuan, necessitating a by-election for Taichung 2.[3][4] Chen Shih-kai was named the Democratic Progressive Party candidate days before the Kuomintang announced its support of Yen Kuan-heng.[5][6] The by-election was held on 26 January 2013, with Yen winning by 1,138 votes.[7][8] The Kuomintang nominated Yen for a second term over fellow party member Chi Kuo-tung in the 2016 legislative elections, and Yen won again.[9] In March 2016, Yen joined the Parliamentary Transparency Alliance, a smaller group of Kuomintang legislators within the Ninth Legislative Yuan.[10] Yen narrowly lost reelection to Taiwan Statebuilding Party candidate Chen Po-wei in 2020.[11] Following a successful bid to recall Chen from office in October 2021, a by-election was scheduled for 9 January 2022.[12] The Kuomintang formally nominated Yen as its candidate for the by-election on 9 November 2021.[13] French-born Taiwanese director Jean-Robert Thomann filmed the documentary Taiwan, Chronicle of a Threatened Democracy, about the by-election, which Yen lost to Lin Ching-yi.[14] Yen unseated Lin in the 2024 legislative election.[15]
During the 2021 by-election, Yen was investigated by the Taichung District Prosecutor’s Office, which found that his house in Shalu District was illegally built on state-owned land.[16] The resulting probe additionally discovered that Yen had illicitly received NT$1.08 million in public funds, by having Lin Chin-fu claim to be Yen's legislative aide.[17] In July 2024, the Taichung District Court found that Yen violated Article V of the Anti-Corruption Act, and was guilty of forgery, and sentenced him to a combined prison term of eight years and four months.[18]
References
edit- ^ Tsai, Ting-i (14 January 2002). "Newsmakers: Elected from jail, Yen thanks Matsu". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
- ^ Mo, Yan-chih (31 December 2012). "KMT's Yen Kuan-hen launches Taichung election bid". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ Wang, Chris (25 January 2013). "KMT split may give DPP victory in Taichung". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ Wang, Chris (17 January 2013). "DPP hopes win will boost momentum". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ Wang, Chris (18 December 2012). "DPP announces candidate for by-election". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ "KMT backs Yen Kuan-hen". Taipei Times. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ Mo, Yan-chih; Wang, Chris (27 January 2013). "KMT wins Taichung by-election". Taipei Times.
- ^ Tseng, Wei-chen; Chung, Jake (28 January 2013). "Taichung election gives DPP hope for recall bids". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ Shih, Hsiu-chuan (18 July 2015). "Chu rejects 'hall of one voice' criticism". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ Hsiao, Alison (10 March 2016). "Alliance lays down reform plans". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ Chang, Chi; Liu, Kuan-ting; Mazzetta, Matthew (12 January 2020). "2020 ELECTIONS/Young candidates, underdogs prevail in several legislative races". Central News Agency. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
- ^ Chen, Chun-hua; Ko, Lin (28 October 2021). "By-election for Taichung's 2nd electoral district slated for Jan. 9". Central News Agency. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ Chao, Li-yan; Liu, Kuan-ting; Kao, Evelyn (9 November 2021). "KMT picks Yen Kuan-heng to run in Taichung legislative by-election". Central News Agency. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ Tseng, Ting-hsuan; Wu, Kuan-hsien (7 February 2024). "19 Taiwanese films to be shown at French festival". Central News Agency. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ Liu, Kay; Yang, Evelyn (13 January 2024). "ELECTION 2024/Taiwan's 2024 presidential, legislative elections". Central News Agency. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ Hsu, Medwin (26 July 2024). "Taiwan KMT legislator sentenced to 8 years, 4 months for corruption and forgery". Taiwan News. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ Wu, Mu-tsun; Chao, Li-yen; Huang, Frances (26 July 2024). "KMT lawmaker Yen Kuan-heng sentenced 94 months in jail for corruption". Central News Agency. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ Pan, Jason (27 July 2024). "KMT lawmaker Yen sentenced by Taichung court". Taipei Times. Retrieved 26 July 2024.