The Alliance of Independent Lawmakers' (無黨籍聯盟) caucus said yesterday that it will ask Minister of Education Ovid Tzeng (曾志朗) to brief the caucus next week on allegations that some legislators -- including independent Lo Fu-chu (羅福助) and PFP Legislator Diane Lee (李慶安) -- have attempted to interfere in the shake-up of the private Jin-Wen Institute of Technology (景文技術學院).
The briefing will take place before next Thursday, when the legislature is to finalize its disciplinary action against Lo for assaulting Lee on March 28, an incident triggered by the Jin-Wen scandal.
"We will ask the minister to explain to us what the two legislators' concerns were that caused them to go to the Ministry of Education. Were they financial affairs, educational affairs or other matters? And to what extent are they [Lo and Lee] involved with the school?" said independent legislator Chen Chin-ting (
Chen said Lo will return to Taiwan from a trip to China in a couple of days, just in time to take part in the meeting.
"There should be a chance for us to make a public explanation, even if the legislature is to impose a punishment [on Lo]," Chen said.
Lo faces a suspension of six months for his violent conduct.
Questioned by Lee during a meeting of the legislature's Education and Culture Committee on March 26, Tzeng said Lo, as well as KMT legislators Lin Ming-i (
But Tzeng denied he had been under any pressure from the legislators or anyone else, saying the legislators had come to him out of concern for the school's development.
Lo, however, has insisted that Lee played a part in the Jin-Wen case, too. He has said that was why he had engaged in a quarrel with Lee shortly before the assault on March 28.
Over the past week, both Tzeng and Lee have denied reports that Lee had come to the minister, on any occasion, in connection with the Jin-Wen case.
Facing the allegation, Lee pledged that she would resign from her position as a legislator if there were any evidence proving her involvement in the case.
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