Trong Chai off to Europe, no word about his TV post

DPP Legislator Trong Chai (蔡同榮) left for Europe yesterday morning with a legislative delegation, without making a decision on whether he will give up his job as chairman of Formosa Television.

The DPP's Central Standing Committee yesterday vowed to remove political and military influences from the media, including asking the party's officials and legislators to withdraw from media operations.

Chai, a member of the Central Standing Committee, had said that he would decide by last night whether to step down as Formosa's chairman.

"I would abandon my posts as legislator, a member of the Central Standing Committee, or chairman of the Formosa TV, as long as the action would achieve Taiwan's progress," Chai said in a press release issued yesterday afternoon.

In the statement, Chai said he has four goals to achieve in life -- Taiwan's independence, complete social justice and democratization, the legalization of referenda and breaking up the monopolization of the media market.

"Since the four goals have yet to be completely achieved, I would make my decision after evaluating the party's policy and related regulations," he said in the release.

The lawmaker refused to talk with reporters at the CKS International Airport yesterday.

However, DPP Legislator Parris Chang (張旭成), who left for Europe along with Chai, quoted his colleague as saying that he could resign his party post, but not the TV chairmanship.

Chai was scheduled to attend the yesterday's DPP Central Standing Committee meeting, but changed his mind after deciding to join the legislative delegation to England and France yesterday morning.

DPP Legislator Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉), who has pushed in the Legislative Yuan for amendments to the Broadcasting and Television Law (廣電法) said that Chai would violate both the party's and the government's regulations if he doesn't resign his media job.