Print

Mail

wiki links

Redoubtable Lin facing fresh trial

Lin Ling-san, center, is embroiled in allegations of an affair with a married woman. Lin refutes the claims, brought to light by a prospective candidate in the Taipei City councillor elections, saying that it is a ploy to gain political exposure. TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO

Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Ling-san (林陵三), who never shirked a challenge during his 30-year career, has been on sick leave after allegations he had an affair with a married woman came to light.

On Thursday, the veteran politician, 58, denied to a roomful of reporters his involvement in a two-decade long extramarital relationship with a woman surnamed Tseng.

Independent candidate for Taipei City councilor Yu Pei-nong (于白儂) has accused him of malfeasance, saying he accepted sex services 20 years ago and has kept the woman as his mistress ever since.

Yu, a leader of a foundation advocating clean politics, claims Tseng holds tapes and other evidence to substantiate her charges and that Lin has also failed to fully declare all of his assets.

Lin called both Tseng and her husband "old acquaintances" and dismissed the alleged affair as "utter fiction."

"I have never done anything illegal during my 30 years of public service," he read from a prepared statement. "I will step down right away if any of the charges against me prove to be true. My moral conduct can withstand any test."

" I will step down right away if any of the charges against me prove to be true. My moral conduct can withstand any test."

-- Lin Ling-san, minister of transportation and communications

The minister immediately left the venue without taking questions from the press. Aides said is suffering from a cold and will not return to work until Dec. 2.

The next morning, a solemn-looking Lin appeared briefly at his ministry offices to receive foreign dignitaries. He again turned down all media interviews, saying he felt "very uncomfortable."

Later the same day, Yu took the case to court after the Control Yuan, the government's watchdog agency, said it will not step in unless the alleged victim lodged the complaint herself.

It remains to be seen if the minister can emerge from the controversy unscathed though Premier Yu Shyi-kun has praised his professional performance.

The alleged scandal surfaced in late August when Tseng phoned Yu's office, pleading the former psychological counselor to help expose the hypocrisy of a ranking government official.

The woman said Lin owns several apartments with unlicensed annexes and failed to declare certain assets in his possession.

On Sept. 12 Tseng requested a meeting with Yu and a journalist during which time she revealed that Lin had been romantically involved with her for over 20 years. To back up her story, Tseng produced tapes recording her alleged bedroom conversations with Lin, along with tissues containing the minister's sperm. She also claimed knowledge of Lin's genitalia, according to Yu.

Lin has said he will consider filing libel suits against Yu and linked the allegations to Yu's attempt to boost her campaign.

"With the election campaigns heating up, I suspect the whole thing is politically motivated," Lin said. "I will reserve the right to sue Ms. Yu."

The country is due to elect mayors for the two special municipalities of Taipei and Kaohsiung as well as their councilors on Dec. 7. It is not uncommon for candidates to conjure up scandals to attract media attention in the run-up to the polls.

But Yu, responsible for exposing sex scandals involving Taipei police, roundly denied ulterior intentions.

"Go ahead and sue me so the public may learn which party is lying," she said, adding that Lin has pressured her through aides to back off.

Yu alleged Lin met Tseng when Tseng worked as an escort. She added that the two continued their affair even after Tseng got married and that Lin gave her a monthly allowance of NT$20,000.

Tseng decided to seek help after Lin decided to end their relationship.

Yu urged authorities to probe into the minister's conduct, saying he has had a string of mistresses.

The ongoing uproar, however, will not easily rattle Lin who assumed the helm of the transport ministry on Feb 1.

In May, he spent weeks personally marshalling the rescue task after an airbus broke apart above the offshore island of Penghu, killing all on board.

Days later, he was appointed to the board of the China Aviation Development Foundation, the biggest shareholder in China Airlines, with an aim to privatize the flag carrier by the end of next year.

The mission is widely considered daunting, if not impossible, as past attempts have shown.

Laconic and hardworking, Lin said then he will do his best to accomplish the goal and terminate the foundation.

In 1995, he agreed to head the Department of Rapid Transit Systems at the invitation of then-Taipei mayor Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), unfazed by the fact that all predecessors failed to put the system on track.

Under his stewardship, the city witnessed the inception of the Mucha and Hsintien lines.

Indeed, Lin was one of the few officials retained by Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) after he unseated Chen in 1998.

Lin decided to join the Cabinet in May 2001, one year after Chen won the presidency and made him deputy head of the public works committee.

Four months later, he was appointed as vice transportation minister following the sudden resignation of his predecessor Ho Cheng-tan (賀陳旦).
This story has been viewed 1681 times.