Kaohsiung mayor slated to sue a KMT legislator

A lawyer representing Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) will soon file a lawsuit against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lee Chuan-chiao (李全教) because of Lee's alleged defamation of Hsieh on a TV talk show aired on Wednesday, the Kaohsiung City Government announced yesterday.

Albert Lin (林耀文), director-general of the Department of Information of the Kaohsiung City Government, said yesterday that statements Lee made on the talk show about Hsieh's involvement in the Zanadau Development Corp (新瑞都) scandal were not true.

According to Lin, Lee said on the show that "the Democratic Progressive Party's black-gold scandals didn't just begin -- they began with Frank Hsieh's involvement in the Zanadau Development Corp scandal."

In 2002, when Hsieh was running for mayor, the KMT caucus alleged that in 1994 his signature had appeared as that of the payee on a NT$4.5 million (US$136,000) check from Zanadau majority shareholder Su Hui-chen (蘇惠珍).

Lin said yesterday that a judicial investigation suggested that Hsieh had nothing to do with the case.

"Lee's statement damaged Mayor Hsieh's reputation seriously. To make sure no further damage is done to his reputation, Mayor Hsieh must file a lawsuit so that residents and public servants in the city aren't misled by the false information conveyed by Lee," Lin said.

Hsieh yesterday held a press conference to urge the public to remain calm leading up to tomorrow's voting.

A task force has been established by local authorities to ensure public security. Tomorrow, officials said, the city's 819 polling booths will be fully guarded by police.

Hsieh urged residents not to create rumors or cause trouble.

Meanwhile, the pan-blue camp urged residents not to give up their right to vote.

Lin Shiang-nung (林享能), who is in charge of the pan-blue camp's campaign activities in Kaohsiung City, said yesterday that based on statistics from the last three elections, the pan-blue camp is likely to benefit from high turnout.

Both camps will hold huge rallies this evening in Kaohsiung.