Controversy over the conduct of two education officials continued yesterday, as Taipei City councilors accused them of frequenting "hostess bars" and of illegally colluding with school construction contractors, according to local media reports.
On July 7, a mother told Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and the city's Bureau of Education that the bureau's educational inspector, Chiang Jen-chun (姜仁俊), sexually harassed her at her child's graduation party held on June 30.
City councilors Chung Hsiao-ping (鐘小平) and Chin Li-fang (秦儷舫), who are members of the New Party, held a press conference on Friday morning to accuse Lo Jung-chih (
PHOTO: LIAO JUI-HSIANG
"Most of the time, school construction contractors would pay for them," Chung said, pointing out the possibility of illegal collusion between the two education officials and the contractors.
According to Chung's interviews with some bar hostesses, Lo -- who is married -- frequented hostess bars up to 100 times every year.
In response to the city councilors' accusations, Lo said on Friday that going to hostess bars was a trivial issue.
"Even if I were caught patronizing such hostess bars, [the city government's education bureau] would only give me a demerit at the most," Lo said.
According to the reports, Mayor Ma was furious at Lo's remarks and ordered the bureau to thoroughly investigate the case and find out if the two are guilty of misconduct.
The education bureau also said yesterday that Lo could be dismissed from his post if the city councilors' accusations were proven to be true.
The bureau said that Chiang has filed a request for early retirement, but that it would not consider the issue until his alleged misconduct had been investigated.
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