The Executive Yuan yesterday pledged to investigate whether Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲), the head of the Department of Health, sexually harassed another man.
Nevertheless, PFP lawmaker Diane Lee (李慶安), claiming to represent the so-far anonymous victim, said that she had little confidence in the Cabinet's handling of the matter.
PHOTO: LIAO RUI-HSIANG, TAIPEI TIMES
Meanwhile, Twu yesterday issued a statement to the media and then followed up with a news conference to dismiss the allegation, saying that he would "immediately resign if the allegation proves to be true."
He also said that he will take legal action against those media spreading false reports about him.
Chinese-language media reported on Tuesday that Twu, the newly appointed acting director-general of the Department of Health, is a bisexual.
Twu reportedly kissed a man against the person's will during an event celebrating Twu's promotion at a karaoke parlor. Twu then reportedly licked the ears of the individual.
Speculation is rife that the allegation has been prompted by jealousy at Twu's rapid rise up the civil service ladder.
Twu, who served as the director of Taipei City's Bureau of Health when Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was Taipei City mayor, succeeded Huang Fu-yuan (黃富源) as deputy director-general three months ago. He was appointed to take over leadership of the Department of Health in late August following the resignation of former Director-General Lee Ming-liang (李明亮).
During the weekly closed-door Cabinet meeting yesterday, Cabinet Spokesman Chuang Suo-hang (莊碩漢) said that Premier Yu Shyi-kun had instructed Cabinet Secretary-General Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳) to handle the matter.
"If unfortunately the allegation proves to be true, we'll let the judicial system and ethnical unit take care of the rest," Chuang said. Chuang, however, called on PFP lawmaker Diane Lee (李慶安), who represents the alleged victim, to supply the name of her client to help the Cabinet investigate the case.
"Technically speaking, we ignore all anonymous complaints," Chuang said. "But if they are of significant importance, we'll proceed with the investigation process."
According to Chuang, Lee presented a petition letter to the premier on behalf of her client during a legislative recess on Tuesday. After showing Yu the name and social identification number of her client, Lee tore up that part of the information to protect the privacy of her client.
"The premier then telephoned Twu to ask him about the matter. Twu told the premier that he has never been to any karaoke parlor since he took office and that he was visiting his sick mother on the day of the incident," Chuang said.
Responding to a query by a KMT lawmaker on the legislative floor on Tuesday, Yu refused to investigate the matter, claiming the lack of the names of the people concerned.
In response, Lee held a press conference yesterday afternoon to dismiss the Cabinet's claims.
"Honesty is the best policy. I'm calling on the premier and Twu to stop lying," Lee said. "It's not an anonymous complaint because I've told the premier the name of the individual in addition to the time and place when the incident took place."
Lee also explained her lack of confidence in the Cabinet's handling of the matter.
"Since the news broke, some of the people concerned have been told to either keep quiet or change their story," Lee said. "I don't rule out the possibility of asking the victim to tell the story himself if necessary."
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