Chen supports NSB oversight committee plan

To get a handle on spending at the National Security Bureau (NSB), President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday approved the establishment of a special legislative committee. He approved of the move, according to a presidential official, under the condition that the mechanism not jeopardize national security.

The proposal backed a plan put forward by People First Party (PFP) lawmakers, who sought to create a "national security budget review committee" to supervise NSB expenditure.

"President Chen opposes any kind of `black-box operation,' and agrees to the necessity of forming a legislative committee to oversee NSB accounts," the official said.

Black-box operations are programs that are secret to all but a few -- including most lawmakers.

"But since the committee would be dealing with the nation's most confidential documents, members will have to meet certain criteria, namely, committee members will have to be demonstrably loyal and have a proven capacity for confidentiality," the official said.

Over the past few days, PFP lawmakers have made allegations that during former president Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) administration, the NSB amassed a slush fund by stashing surpluses from its budget.

According to the legislators, this was done in order to bypass the legislature's constitutionally mandated responsibility to oversee the bureau.

They estimate that at least NT$4 billion, including interest, exists in the account. They also claim some NT$1 billion has been spent for clandestine purposes over the years.

PFP legislator Chou Hsi-wei (周錫偉) said the handling of the fund must follow the legal system and that "all should be made crystal clear -- such as the details of the accounts and the individuals deciding the use of the money."

Hsieh Chang-chieh (謝章捷), deputy convener of the PFP legislative caucus, supported the founding of a legislative committee to reinforce NSB monitoring. He said any government funding must be supervised by the legislature.

"No departments can make exceptions under the pretext of keeping confidentiality," he said yesterday.

DPP legislative caucus leader Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said his party supports the formation of another committee, a "cross-party investigative panel," to get to the bottom of what has transpired with the secret fund.

He added, however, that the DPP was opposed the formation of a committee to review the bureau's internal documents, fearing the exposure of vital national intelligence.

PFP lawmaker Diane Lee (李慶安) shifted her accusations toward the president, saying that former NSB director-general Ting Yu-chou (丁渝洲) sought President Chen's advice on the fund just after he was sworn into office, asking if the secret cash should be returned to the nation's coffers.

After consulting Lee, Chen ordered Ting to keep the money and continue to use a portion of the fund to subsidize the Taiwan Research Institute, of which Lee is the honorary chairman, according to the lawmaker.

Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪), presidential office spokeswoman, denied the allegations.

Kuo said it is the NSB's obligation to explain how the fund was used, but "the president is not aware of any details on the matter."