Taiwan Quick Take: Commissioner indicted

Hsinchu County Commissioner Cheng Yung-chin (鄭永金), a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), was indicted by the Hsinchu District Prosecutor's Office yesterday on suspicion of accepting bribes from construction companies. The prosecutors recommended a 10-year prison sentence for Cheng, along with being stripped of his civil rights for five years. Prosecutors said Cheng used his position as county commissioner to accept bribes ranging from NT$1 million (US$30,470) to NT$2 million from six construction companies in exchange for the speedy delivery of construction licenses. KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday said that Cheng's party membership has been suspended. Cheng insisted that he was innocent.