Lee dismisses KMT charge over assets

Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday dismissed KMT accusations that he should be accountable for the party's illegal acquisition of public property and the deterioration of the party's assets during his 12 years as party chairman.

"I have nothing to do with the matter concerning the KMT's assets. It is the internal affair of the party itself," Lee said in Hsinchu while giving a lecture to a gathering of Christians. "I was always very clear about what I did in the past. I feel no qualms at all."

Amid calls to provide a clear account of its assets, the party yesterday deflected criticism onto Lee, who split with the KMT after it lost power in 2000.

In a report it completed in March last year, the KMT, one of the world's wealthiest parties, said its assets had shrunk by NT$80 billion under Lee's leadership.

According to another report written by the party last month, the KMT now has NT$53.7 billion in bank savings, fixed deposits, securities, government bonds, businesses and real-estate holdings.

While the party claimed that all its assets had been acquired legally, it has been accused of stealing public property during its 51-year rule over the country.

The KMT legislative caucus on Tuesday pledged to adopt a "high moral standard" in relinquishing the hundreds of pieces of real estate it acquired for free.

Defending Lee, who is considered the TSU's spiritual leader, TSU Legislator Cheng Chen-lung (程振隆) yesterday indicated that the KMT's illegitimate acquisition of public assets should be traced back to the end of the Japanese colonization era.

The controversial acquisitions did not start during Lee's era, Cheng said. "If the KMT was determined to dig to the bottom of the matter, former presidents [Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) and Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國)] should assume most of the responsibility," Cheng said.

In January, 2000, on the eve of the presidential election, it was Lee who pitched the idea of putting the party's assets into a trust fund, Cheng said. But, "after two and half years, the KMT has done nothing," the lawmaker said.

If Lee were still in charge of the KMT, he would have completed the task, Cheng said, adding that the TSU welcomed KMT Chairman Lien Chan to make public all the party's documents, to allow the public to judge who should be responsible for the disputes.

TSU Legislator Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) questioned the validity of KMT estimations of its own assets.

A KMT report last September said the party had NT$102.7 billion, but the figure in the most recent report was NT$53.7 billion, Chen said.

"Lien Chan should provide explanations on where the money went," Chen said.