The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said that a probe into former deputy council minister Chang Hsien-yao’s (張顯耀) actions had been handed over to the Ministry of Justice’s Investigation Bureau, but it refused to say what aspect of Chang’s work has been called into question and investigated in light of the council’s “suspicions.”
Chang later yesterday decried the council’s announcement as “a mafia-style hunt.”
Council spokeswoman Wu Mei-hung (吳美紅) told a news conference in Taipei that the Investigation Bureau has secured “a lot of information” and had decided, after coordinating with the council, to take the case.
Photo: Courtesy of TVBS
Wu said the decision was made because “the suspicions about Chang’s work partially involve national security,” adding that the council would “cooperate with the bureau on the investigation.”
Asked whether the bureau has already visited the council’s office to perform a search, Wu said no.
However, “[Mainland Affairs Council Minister] Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) and [Investigation Bureau Director-General] Wang Chung-yi (汪忠一) have talked over the telephone,” Wu said.
Photo: CNA
Wu declined to categorize the seriousness of Chang’s alleged violations of national security, emphasizing that his case has been handed over to the bureau and it would be up to bureau officials to report on the investigation.
Later in the day, Chang took part in a political talk show on cable TV network TVBS — scheduled to be broadcast at 10pm — in which he tearfully said that he had not failed the nation or President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
“I am very grateful to the president, but Mr President, you have been given information that is contrary to the facts,” he said.
Chang added he has made his “preparations” and “written relevant information in [my] will.”
“I know too many things and I considered some of them inappropriate. I made suggestions. Maybe my straightforward suggestions or my objections to certain matters have offended some people,” he said.
“This kind of hunt is like the mafia crushingly hunting down a traitor. I am deeply chilled by the act,” Chang told the talk show host.
The council and Chang have traded claims since the Cabinet announced on Saturday last week that Chang had resigned as the council’s principal deputy minister for “family reasons” and his position would be filled by council Deputy Minister Lin Chu-chia (林祖嘉).
Chang on Sunday night released a statement suggesting that he had been asked to step down.
On Monday morning, the council held a news conference, where Wu said the council had made the request that Chang leave because of “suspicions about his work.”
She said the council had been trying to protect Chang when it issued its statement on Saturday.
Following the council’s news conference, Chang released another statement on Monday at noon, saying that he “followed the instructions of the president, the National Security Council’s secretary-general and [the Mainland Affairs] Council’s minister” all throughout his work for the council.
CHAOS: Iranians took to the streets playing celebratory music after reports of Khamenei’s death on Saturday, while mourners also gathered in Tehran yesterday Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the US, throwing the future of the Islamic republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability. Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency announced the 86-year-old’s death early yesterday. US President Donald Trump said it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country. The announcements came after a joint US and Israeli aerial bombardment that targeted Iranian military and governmental sites. Trump said the “heavy and pinpoint bombing” would continue through the week or as long
TRUST: The KMT said it respected the US’ timing and considerations, and hoped it would continue to honor its commitments to helping Taiwan bolster its defenses and deterrence US President Donald Trump is delaying a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan to ensure his visit to Beijing is successful, a New York Times report said. The weapons sales package has stalled in the US Department of State, the report said, citing US officials it did not identify. The White House has told agencies not to push forward ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), it said. The two last month held a phone call to discuss trade and geopolitical flashpoints ahead of the summit. Xi raised the Taiwan issue and urged the US to handle arms sales to
State-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) yesterday said that it had confirmed on Saturday night with its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil suppliers that shipments are proceeding as scheduled and that domestic supplies remain unaffected. The CPC yesterday announced the gasoline and diesel prices will rise by NT$0.2 and NT$0.4 per liter, respectively, starting Monday, citing Middle East tensions and blizzards in the eastern United States. CPC also iterated it has been reducing the proportion of crude oil imports from the Middle East and diversifying its supply sources in the past few years in response to geopolitical risks, expanding
Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s (黎智英) fraud conviction and prison sentence were yesterday overturned by a Hong Kong court, in a surprise legal decision that comes soon after Lai was jailed for 20 years on a separate national security charge. Judges Jeremy Poon (潘兆初), Anthea Pang (彭寶琴) and Derek Pang (彭偉昌) said in the judgement that they allowed the appeal from Lai, and another defendant in the case, to proceed, as a lower court judge had “erred.” “The Court of Appeal gave them leave to appeal against their conviction, allowed their appeals, quashed the convictions and set aside the sentences,” the judges
RSS