Under the instruction of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), the Presidential Office yesterday stripped former deputy secretary-general to the Presidential Office Chen Che-nan (陳哲男) of two medals the president had conferred on him.
Chen Che-nan has been indicted for corruption related to the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp (KRTC) scandal.
The Presidential Office said its decision to strip him of the medals was based on recent findings that Chen Che-nan had used Presidential Office staff to look after personal business. As a result, the Presidential Office stripped him of the Order of the Brilliant Star and the Order of Propitious Clouds.
PHOTO: LIAO CHEN-HUEI, TAIPEI TIMES
A statement released last night from the Presidential Office, said the president was "severely upset" over the misconduct.
Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislater insinuated that a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker was the source of a leaked casino photograph related to the KRTC scandal that caused two high-ranking officials to step down.
DPP Legislator Ker Chien-ming (
Lee said on Wednesday that a "pan-green heavyweight" had seen the gambling photograph before it was aired on a talk show on cable station TVBS.
Lee earlier yesterday morning said that a lawmaker from the ruling party with a business background had teamed up with gangsters to release a photograph of former deputy secretary-general Chen Che-nan (陳哲男) and former Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp (KRTC) vice chairman Chen Min-hsien (陳敏賢) gambling at a casino on Cheju Island, South Korea.
Lee alleged that the photograph was first handed to gangsters, who then relayed it to the TV station.
The disclosure of the photo cost the two Chens their jobs.
Swearing on his "political reputation," Ker yesterday said that he had not seen the photograph until he read the newspaper the day after the photo was broadcast. He also dismissed a remark by DPP Legislator Tu Wen-ching (杜文卿), who reportedly said that Ker had seen the photograph, as "rubbish."
Meanwhile, independent legislator Chiu Yi (
Chiu alleged that the trip was aimed at persuading Wu and Kong to push the firm's public listing. A Gamania spokesman said Chiu's comments did not make sense as the firm was listed in 2001, while the trip took place in 2002.
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
DEROGATORY: WTO host Cameroon’s designation of Taiwan as a ‘province of China’ seriously undermines the nation’s status and rights as a WTO member, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned Cameroon for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” in visa documents for an upcoming WTO ministerial conference, a move that led to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the event. The designation “seriously undermined” Taiwan’s status and rights as a WTO member, the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time since 2001 that Taiwan has declined to attend a WTO Ministerial Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday next week in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Taiwan had planned to send a delegation led by Minister Without Portfolio
RSS