Monthly payments to Lin Hsiu-chen (
The Chinese-language China Times yesterday published a story which cited NSB officials as saying that in addition to receiving a monthly payment of NT$25,000 while named as a janitor on the payroll of the Presidential Office, Lin also received more than NT$20,000 per month from the NSB as a "secret service subsidy."
NSB officials said Lin -- better known to the public as Auntie A-ching (
But because of changes in her working conditions, the subsidy was stopped this month, according to the reports.
The subsidy is given to secret service staff maintaining the security of the president and the vice president, and Lin's subsidy was equal to that paid to an army captain, the reports said.
Opposition lawmakers lambasted the subsidy payments as "highly improper," but the Democratic Progressive Party caucus said that in view of the public feelings, the subsidy for the past five years -- estimated at around NT$1.16 million (US$35,000) -- had been returned.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Tsai Chin-lung (
People First Party caucus whip Lu Hsueh-chang (
Taiwan Solidarity Union Le-gislator Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) said that Lin's claiming of the subsidy was outrageous and that the NSB should make a full review.
Lin had since earlier this month resigned from the Presidential Office, but she remains in Chen's private employ at his own expense.
Presidential Office Spokesman David Lee (
That money included salary and bonuses paid to Lin from Presidential Office funds and the NSB funds, and money paid for Lin since Chen Hsing-yu married and moved into her parent's house on Minsheng E Road in Taipei five years ago, Lee said.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
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