Lu says politics behind charges

The relationship between the nation's two leaders was in the limelight again yesterday as Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) became enraged over charges of being wasteful and challenged her accuser to give the public an explanation.

The latest controversy surfaced Friday when opposition lawmakers slammed Lu for adding burden to the nation's strained finances by insisting on an exorbitant budget for her housing as outlined in next year's spending plan.

"No one had ever consulted me before preparing the budget," Lu told the media after a social function in Taipei. "The plan is so detailed that it deserves a berth in the Guinness Book [of World Records]." At issue is NT$3.57 million in spending proposed by the Presidential Office to furnish Lu's residence on Taian Street in case she has to move out of her current housing later this year, in line with a legislative resolution.

The money will be spent on redwood chairs, cabinets, desks, dining tables, double beds, five air-conditioners, six dehumidifiers, a dishwasher, a heater, a stereo, a refrigerator, a 38-inch color TV set, and a washing machine, among other things.

"I don't know how the budget planners arrived at those figures. I don't like redwood furniture at all," Lu said emphatically. "The person in ultimate charge of the Presidential Office should come forward and give the public a clear explanation." The outspoken vice president said as a former lawmaker and Taoyuan county commissioner she was involved in preparing budget plans herself but never before had she seen "such a detailed one." Lu suggested the whole incident smelled of politics.

Later in the day, Kao Yao-chi (郭瑤琪), a spokeswoman at the Presidential Office, attributed the controversy to miscommunication.

She said Lu did not request to purchase any new furniture and speculated that presidential budget officials took the liberty to plan the budget out of respect for the vice president.

"The Presidential Office has to be prepared if the legislature decides to slash the vice president's housing budget for the next fiscal year," Kao said.

The opposition-controlled legislature passed a resolution last year obligating Lu to lower her housing expenses on the grounds they are too high and that many official residences sit vacant. But the vice president maintained all the residences available are too small.

Kao said the Presidential Office has no objection to Lu renting a private apartment provided she can secure support from the legislature.

To that end, the vice president said she would invite legislators to her apartment in the near future. "Then they would know I'm a frugal person," Lu said.

But KMT lawmaker Liu Kwang-hua (劉光華) said he would turn down the invitation. "If President Chen and Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄 ) can make do with residences provided by the government, why can't Lu?" Liu asked. "She just has to learn to be ordinary." People First Party lawmaker Feng Ting-kuo (馮定國) agreed, saying that, as the nation's leader, Lu should set an example.

New Party legislator Elmer Feng (馮滬祥) said that claiming no prior knowledge of the budget is a poor excuse. "It is not that bad for the Presidential Office to detail its budget plan, as it helps the public to better know where and how their tax money is used," Feng said.

But Lu maintained it is better to preserve the status quo, as any change will cause inconvenience to her and the public. She said the suggested residence is located in a crowded neighborhood and that the motorcade guarding her safety would jam the nearby traffic.