Soong hits back at allegations

Defending himself against new allegations over his son's properties in the US, independent presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) hit back at the KMT yesterday by suggesting a top aide to President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) was involved in a military procurement scandal.

He also questioned the origin of assets belonging to KMT presidential candidate and Vice President Lien Chan (連戰).

Both Lien's camp and the aide denied Soong's accusations, saying accusing others would not help him clear the stain on his own name.

After independent legislator Lin Ruey-tu (林瑞圖) revealed on Tuesday that Soong's son had bought five pieces of real estate in the US, the KMT camp has been calling on him to drop out of the presidential election.

President Lee Teng-hui's close aide Su Chih-cheng (蘇志誠), said Soong should not "shame" Taiwan by staying in the election. He also suggested Soong embezzled money during his career as a party and government official.

Lin said Soong's son Soong Chen-yuan (宋鎮遠) -- whose English name is Allen -- had bought five houses in California since 1991, worth a total of US$1.8 million.

Soong did not deny Lin's story, but said his son bought the houses with loans and the money was not from him.

Soong yesterday told participants at a rally in Kaohsiung that he had not embezzled any money.

He also challenged Su and his younger brother Su Chih-jen (蘇志仁) to show they were not involved in a military procurement scandal.

The elder Su's response was blunt. "`See you in court' is my answer to him," he said. "Why has a man running for the presidency bought so many houses in the US? Because he regards himself as only a visitor in Taiwan."

The younger Su yesterday confirmed that he planned to file a suit against Soong today.

A former legislator made similar allegations against Su Chih-jen several years ago, who then filed a suit to clear his name, he said. "The court ruled that he should pay compensation of half a million [NT dollars] to me," he said.

Soong also attacked his rival for the presidency. "I want to ask where Lien family's assets of more than NT$10 billion come from? Please let us know whether or not his family embezzled Japanese assets [which should have belonged to the government after the colonial era ended]?" Soong said Lien's father was one of the officials assigned to help take over Taiwan from Japan after World War II.

"Lien has faced many accusations, including this one, before now. If there really was a problem with this issue, he would not have survived [politically]," said Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕), a spokeswoman for Lien.

"We understand that Soong is experiencing hard times, and we sympathize with him. But accusing others and calling others bad names cannot help in clearing his own name," she said.

A political analyst said that while Soong would suffer some damage to his reputation because of the revelations, the KMT's attacks on him could also backfire.

Since Lin is an independent lawmaker, the KMT must have been behind this, he said.

"If the KMT goes too far in what is becoming a negative campaign, voters may find sympathy for Soong," said Wu Tung-yeh (吳東野), a political analyst at National Chengchi University. "In the end it may turn out that Lien, instead of Soong, is the most badly hurt."