Former KMT legislator Tseng Chen-nung (曾振農) yesterday turned down an offer from the Chen administration to chair Lucent Technologies Taiwan Telecom-munications Co (美台電訊), after the appointment was criticized by a DPP legislator as a compromise with "black gold" politics.
Tseng said he had never sought the position nor had he any intention of accepting the offer.
Tseng disputed allegations by DPP lawmaker Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) that he was a "representative of black gold," saying the charge was "humiliating to his personality."
Tseng said the fact that he was born in southern Taiwan with a straightforward character typical of people from the south does not necessarily make him a "gangster."
Tseng suggested that Tuan, whom he said was degrading the south with "the narrow perspective of the northern people," take a trip to southern Taiwan to get a better understanding of its people.
He admitted that before Tuan made the charge against him, he was seriously considering whether to take up the position, as he said the DPP had approached him hoping that his experience in business management would help resolve the company's financial problems.
Tseng, a former four-term lawmaker and leader of a local political faction in Chiayi, had his KMT membership revoked last October for campaigning for the DPP's candidate for Chiayi County commissioner, Chen Ming-wen (陳明文).
Tseng's wife, Chang Hua-kuan (
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications intended to appoint Tseng to the chair of Lucent Technologies Taiwan Telecommunications -- a company partly owned by Chunghwa Telecom, after the position became vacant recently.
The DPP's Su Chih-fen (蘇治芬), the company's former chairwoman, resigned soon after she was sworn in as a legislator in February. Her resignation was approved by the board of the company on April 3.
However, the plan to appoint Tseng to take over the chairmanship triggered opposition from Tuan, who openly challenged Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Lin-san (
Tuan argued that Tseng's appointment was a cheat to all voters who were supportive of the DPP's promise to attack "black gold."
According to Tuan, Tseng was a key figure cited by the DPP as representative of Taiwan's "black gold" politics, but the DPP was now trying to win him over, regardless of his controversial background.
Tuan's remarks invited immediate protest from Chang, who happened to be present at Wednesday's meeting.
Tuan yesterday clarified that the main point of his Wednesday remarks was not to discuss whether Tseng was a representative of "black gold."
What he was trying to point out was that the DPP had promoted that image of Tseng and that the party should clearly explain its decision to offer him the position.
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