DPP meeting on `state affairs fund' action postponed

A Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) disciplinary committee meeting that was to be held today to decide what action should be taken against first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) and three presidential aides indicted in the "state affairs fund" case has been postponed, party officials said yesterday.

A DPP press release said that the committee meeting had been called off because of a lack of numbers.

The party's main decision-making body, the Central Executive Committee, ruled on Nov. 8 that the question of how to handle the four indictees should be left up to the Central Review Committee, which is responsible for disciplining party members.

Convener of the committee Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) told reporters earlier yesterday that only two or three of the committee's 11 members said they would be available to attend the meeting.

The rest of the committee members were busy campaigning for the upcoming elections, he said.

Gao said he had invited the first lady and the three aides to the meeting in line with DPP regulations.

Meanwhile, DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun told a press conference that although he did not have jurisdiction over the review committee, he called on it to decide whether or not to punish the four individuals as soon as possible.

DPP Deputy Secretary-General Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said the four would not receive any special treatment.

"We treat every member fairly. We will not adjust standards for certain people," he said. "[But] the first lady is special. I hope the Central Review Committee makes the proper decision after carefully discussing whether she should be considered a government or party official."

According to the party's regulations, indicted DPP officials can be warned, suspended or expelled.