More suits likely over Lien's assets

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-People First Party (PFP) alliance yesterday threatened to sue the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for allegedly smearing KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) with false information and "using wrong statistics" about the size of Lien's real estate holdings.

In an update released on Thursday of the DPP's campaign booklets detailing claims about the manner in which Lien and his father had amassed their family fortune, the DPP says that Lien failed to mention in a statement two weeks ago 200,000 ping of real estate he owned in 1989 in Taipei City. The alliance denied the DPP's claim the following day, saying the property was only 228 ping.

"We are in the process of consulting with our lawyers on whether to file the charge as libel or according to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Law (總統副總統選舉罷免法)," said PFP legislative leader Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) at a press conference held with KMT Legislator Huang Teh-fu (黃德福). "We might consider filing the suit against the DPP as early as tomorrow [Monday]."

The suit would mark the latest volley in a legal battle over claims about Lien's assets.

On Jan. 2, Lien filed a libel suit against President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and three DPP officials over accusations that Lien's family had amassed its wealth illegally.

Two days later, first lady Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍) filed a suit against Lien for defamation after his campaign draft speech accused Chen of taking kickbacks and being involved in corruption.

Chou, who is also the deputy director of the alliance's policy department, pointed out discrepancies in the original edition of the DPP's booklet published two weeks ago and the updated version.

He said the DPP had changed a measurement of how much real estate Lien owned in 1989 from 699.45 hectares in the first edition to 699.45 kungmu in the update. One kungmu equals 100m2, and one hectare is 10,000m2.

"While 699.45 hectares is equivalent to approximately 2 million ping, the 699.45 kungmu is equivalent to approximately 20,000 ping," Chou said. "But what Lien really owned, according to his 1989 taxation document, was 669m2."

"The DPP, obviously made a mistake with the units, maliciously fabricating the size of real estate owned by Lien to deliberately smear him," Chou said.

If the DPP can't provide evidence to substantiate its claims, Huang said, Chen, who is also the DPP chairman, should apologize and withdraw from the presidential election.

Apart from Chen, who as president is immune from prosecution for libel, the alliance singled out several DPP figures, including DPP Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄), DPP campaign headquarters chief Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) and DPP Legislator Lin Cho-chui (林濁水), all three of whom were sued by Lien.

Huang said that DPP legislators Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯), Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) and William Lai (賴清德) had all, at legislative caucus press conferences or on call-in TV programs, also cited the "incorrect statistics in public to smear Lien."

"From now on, whoever cites the incorrect information will also be included on our list of people to file a lawsuit against," said Huang, adding that the alliance would appeal to the court to have all copies of the DPP's booklets confiscated.

Huang also demanded that Next magazine prove its claim, published on Wednesday, that Lien had failed to disclose the 20,000 ping he owned.