A panel of legislators who are probing alleged corruption by fellow lawmakers regarding sloppy construction work at the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant yesterday demanded that the accused allow them to look into their bank accounts to clear up the case.
Insisting that they are innocent, the three DPP lawmakers -- Liang Mu-yang (
But they reiterated their plea that their accusers must resign as lawmakers if their charges prove to be false.
The ad-hoc committee met yesterday for the first time after its formation earlier this month and suggested that the trio sign an affidavit allowing the panelists to look into their bank accounts.
PFP lawmaker Chou Hsi-wei (
The controversy surfaced in mid-June when TSU Legislator Su Ying-kwei (
Su said he had evidence, provided by China Shipbuilding Corp (
The allegations were immediately corroborated by PFP Legislator Chiu Yi (
Liang, who has blasted the charge as baseless, said he welcomed the probe.
"I hope that this time the [legislature's] disciplinary committee can reverse its past image of being ineffective," he said. "For my part, I would try my best to cooperate."
Likewise, Huang Ying-chi (
"The panel may go ahead and suggest the information it needs and I will accommodate their requests to the best of my abilities," Huang said. "I only hope the matter can end as soon as possible."
Both called for the banning of their accusers if the investigation proves their innocence.
The ad hoc committee -- comprised of members from across party lines -- is slated to go to Kaohsiung next Tuesday to gather evidence and discuss the case again on July 4.
Seeking to ensure fairness, panelists also urged Su and Chiu to produce evidence to substantiate their accusations.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
A white king snake that frightened passengers and caused a stir on a Taipei MRT train on Friday evening has been claimed by its owner, who would be fined, Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) said yesterday. A person on Threads posted that he thought he was lucky to find an empty row of seats on Friday after boarding a train on the Bannan (Blue) Line, only to spot a white snake with black stripes after sitting down. Startled, he jumped up, he wrote, describing the encounter as “terrifying.” “Taipei’s rat control plan: Release snakes on the metro,” one person wrote in reply, referring
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
An inauguration ceremony was held yesterday for the Danjiang Bridge, the world’s longest single-mast asymmetric cable-stayed bridge, ahead of its official opening to traffic on Tuesday, marking a major milestone after nearly three decades of planning and construction. At the ceremony in New Taipei City attended by President William Lai (賴清德), Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) and New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜), the bridge was hailed as both an engineering landmark and a long-awaited regional transport link connecting Tamsui (淡水) and Bali (八里)