A spokesman for the Taipei City government made a last ditch attempt yesterday to stop the implementation of new cable television regulations by launching another verbal attack on the Government Information Office (GIO, 新聞局) and its spokesman.
As the government has shown no signs of vetoing recently passed amendments to the Cable Television Law (
His attacks were immediately countered by the director of radio and television affairs at the GIO, Chang Chong-jen (張崇仁). Chang asked King to apologize for his insinuation that Chang had collaborated with local cable television operators to hurriedly push amendments to the cable law through last week.
The law was passed last Thursday, the final day of the Legislative Yuan's fall session.
"He's obliged by law to provide hard evidence to prove his allegations against me, otherwise he owes me a public apology for defamation," Chang said.
Chang added, however, that if King refused his request he would not push the issue further.
"Time will eventually prove my innocence and the public will know the truth," he said.
"It's unbelievable that King, who was a former university professor of journalism and currently a city spokesperson, could make such a groundless accusation against an innocent person. I don't know how he can teach his students about credibility and telling the city residents about truth," he said.
Su also responded to King's accusations.
King said that he doubts Su's capability as GIO director, saying that Su had made "improper political remarks" when he proposed that Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
King also said that the Taipei City Government does not rule out the possibility of requesting a constitutional interpretation from the Council of Grand Justices should the Executive Yuan refuse to call for a veto.
Visibly displeased with King's remark, Su said that "King sounds as if he is my supervisor. He first wanted me to call a meeting, and now he doubts my capability. It seems to me that he's the one who's confused about the role he's playing," Su said.
He added that when King paid him a visit on Friday, he already told King that it was not feasible to seek a veto unless the GIO can prove that it is difficult to carry out the law.
"His insistence on seeking a veto makes me wonder what the city's motives are. Does it really want to solve the problem or is it more interested in political gains?" Su said. He said that he himself also felt sorry about the hasty passage of the amended law.
"But since the law has been passed, let's now focus on how to deal with it, and that's what we're going to do at tomorrow's meeting," he said. The GIO is willing to listen to different voices, Su said, "but don't think that King speaks for other local governments," he said.
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