Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu-yi (邱毅) yesterday accused Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Ma Yung-cheng (馬永成) of being involved in two syndicates which he said had embezzled billions of dollars from investors.
Chiu made the remarks in a press conference at the legislature, where dozens of people said that they had been deceived into investing in projects set up by the syndicates.
"Chen Yu-shen (
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Investments
Chiu said that Lu had publicly endorsed Chen's investment projects, encouraging investors to back Chen's firms.
"Lu appealed to the investors saying that he had a very strong supporter in the Presidential Office. The `supporter' he referred to was Ma," Chiu said.
Chiu said that prosecutors had indicted Chen Yu-shen, who was then running the Futung Group (阜東集團), on fraud charges and racketeering in 2003, recommending a 14-year jail term, but that a verdict hadn't been reached until now.
"It was all because of Ma's intervention," Chiu said.
"Ma's illegal lobbying regarding Chen Yu-shen's lawsuit gave him another opportunity to embezzle more money from investors of Chant World International Co," Chiu said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Chen Chin-jun (
"Otherwise Chiu should resign from his legislative seat and take responsibility for his libelous comments," Chen Chin-jun said after attending a weekly meeting of the Presidential Office and the DPP legislative caucus.
Chiu also said that DPP Legislator Hsu Jung-shu (
Hsu denied this, saying she was also a victim.
Chiu last week accused Ma of other misconduct, such as being involved in stock speculation with other DPP officials.
"This week will be Ma's week," Chiu said, adding that he would expose more scandals related to Ma in the coming days.
Ma issued a statement late yesterday afternoon denying any knowledge of or connection to the people Chiu mentioned.
First lady
Meanwhile, Presidential Office Secretary-General Mark Chen (陳唐山) yesterday told Chiu and another opposition legislator to step down or face a defamation lawsuit for falsely accusing President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) and Ma.
KMT Legislator Lee Chuan-chiao (
The Presidential Office said it would file a slander suit against Lee, while Ma said he would not rule out filing a suit against KMT Legislator Chiu Yi (
Mark Chen said that Lee and Chiu should produce evidence to prove their allegations.
"It is no longer a legal issue, but has become a political problem," Mark Chen said. "It is regrettable to see irresponsible politicians shamefully holding on to their positions after repeatedly making groundless allegations, and to see the public and media tolerate this behavior."
Lee asked the Presidential Office to make public the numbers of the Sogo Department Store gift coupons which he said Wu had used.
Mark Chen said it was impossible to produce them because the first lady had not accepted them in the first place. He said the administration welcomed and was not afraid of constructive criticism and stringent scrutiny, but that any criticism must be based on facts.
Meanwhile, a group of young DPP legislators yesterday asked the Presidential Office to offer a concrete explanation for the recent accusations of corruption against Presidential Office officials. They also said that more than half of DPP legislators had agreed to the establishment of a legislative committee to monitor corruption
DPP Legislators Shen Fa-hui (
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
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