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OCAC secret name list made public

OCAC facts *The OCAC has 171 members, 34 of whom were missing from a recently published list of members. * Commission membership is an honorary position that pays no salary.

The Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission (OCAC), under pressure from the KMT, yesterday made public the list of the 34 commission members that had previously been withheld.

Yesterday morning OCAC Vice Minister Wu Hsin-hsing (吳新興) said the commission would release information about the 34 members -- including name, gender, where they live and the years they served on the commission -- in the afternoon.

Commission membership is an honorary, unpaid post.

Wu admitted that it was improper that the commission kept the names secret, a move, he said, which was taken in accordance with democratic procedures and the members' preferences.

Wu said the commission will submit the list of names to the legislature's Committee on Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs.

Wu's announcement came after the KMT caucus threatened yesterday morning to try to get OCAC chief Chang Fu-mei (張富美) replaced or have the 34 secret members removed, depending on who exactly made the decision to keep the members' names a secret.

KMT legislative whip Lee Chuan-chiao (李全教) said if it was Chang who decided to withhold the 34 names, Chang should be replaced, but if it was members themselves who didn't want their names publicized then they should be removed.

Lee said it was "ridiculous and irresponsible" for the commission to withhold the names. There are 171 members of the commission worldwide.

KMT Legislator Kwan Yuk-noan (關沃暖) said it is a big joke that some commission members, whose appointments are supposed to be an honor, want to remain anonymous. Kuan asked how overseas Chinese were supposed to seek the services of OCAC members if their names are kept secret.

KMT Legislator Cheng Feng-shih (鄭逢時) asked why the names should remain unknown and wondered if these people were fugitives or wanted for some kind of economic crime.

Cheng added that the OCAC has treated the people of Taiwan like fools for making such an irresponsible decision.

The KMT caucus also agreed that the NT$150 million budget to finance the establishment of the Taiwan Democracy Foundation next year should be slashed because of the state of the economy.
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