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Ministry sets first step in assets probe

"The purpose of the bill will be to ensure that all the political parties compete fairly."

Chen Mei-ling, director of the justice ministry's legal affairs department

The assets of the nation's political parties will be investigated by a new, independent government body should a proposal put forth by the Ministry of Justice be passed into law.

The justice ministry yesterday convened its first meeting to discuss a draft law to regulate the assets of political parties.

"Under the new bill, all parties must report their assets to the Ministry of the Interior and let a new, independent government office investigate them to see whether they have any illegal assets," said Chen Mei-ling (陳美伶), director of the ministry's Department of Legal Affairs.

In November, the Cabinet asked the Ministry of Justice to begin the process of drafting the new bill to resolve the argument over the KMT's assets -- a large proportion of which were acquired illegally after the party began to rule Taiwan in 1945.

Preoccupied with its anti-vote-buying efforts during the election campaign, the ministry did nothing in response to the request until yesterday morning's conference. The meeting was attended by seven law and business professors as well as officials from the Cabinet, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior.

"The purpose of the conference was to listen to different opinions from experts and find the best way to propose a fair bill," Chen said. "The purpose of the bill will be to ensure that all the political parties compete fairly -- with assets that are legal and approved by the government. That will definitely be a good thing for Taiwanese politics and the people in Taiwan."

Chen said there will be five principles to the new law.

"First of all, we will organize a new, independent government office to investigate all the assets of political parties.

"Second, the new law will clearly indicate the types of assets which will be investigated. Third, during the investigation, no political party will be entitled to perform transactions involving the assets under investigation.

"Fourth, penalties for political parties which violate the regulations will be clearly spelled out. Fifth, how the government must use the assets it acquires from political parties will be clearly stipulated in the new law."

Chen said ministry officials will try to finish drafting the bill as soon as possible so it can be presented to the Cabinet in time for legislators to review the bill when they attend the legislature for the new session on Feb. 1.

The bill cannot, however, be submitted to the Legislative Yuan until it has been approved by the Executive Yuan.
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