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Su hints at possible reprisals over TTV allegations

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) hinted yesterday that Government Information Office Minister and Cabinet spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) and Minister of Economic Affairs Steve Chen (陳瑞隆) could be punished if it were proven that they had tried to influence the sale of government-owned Taiwan Television Enterprise (TTV).

"I have no knowledge about this case," Su said. "I never deal with cases like this. I have asked Vice Premier Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to launch an investigation. Proper punishment will fall on proper officials if they are involved."

He made the remarks in response to Chinese Nationalist Party Legislator Alex Fai's (費鴻泰) request for his comments on the issue.

Su said the government's goal was to make TTV a privately owned firm so that the government could finish selling its shares.

However, in view of allegations that shares of TTV may be owned by private firms that have alleged links to the government, it is necessary to figure out the truth and prevent a scandal, Su said.

Su's remarks referred to a lunch on Jan. 17, which was hosted by Cheng and joined by Chen, Japan's Fuji Television Network official Sumio Hasegawa and Liberty Times Group (the parent company of the Taipei Times) officials.

Hasegawa said on Sunday that Cheng and Chen had arranged the lunch to "suggest" that Fuji transfer its TTV shares to the Liberty Times Group because it was "trustworthy" and close to the government.

Cheng has denied asking Fuji to sell its TTV shares to the group.

The Liberty Times Group issued a press release on Monday to say that its management attended the lunch because the group and Fuji's subsidiary newspaper -- the Sankei Shimbun -- are sister newspapers. It said it had not contacted Fuji after the lunch and did not purchase Fuji's TTV shares.

During the lunch, Cheng allegedly encouraged the group to increase its cooperation with Fuji.

Cheng said that the government would not interfere with the sale of Fuji's TTV shares because it was a business activity.

In a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) meeting yesterday, Cheng said that he was "absolutely sure" he did not ask Fuji to sell its shares to the Liberty Times Group, DPP caucus whip Wang Sing-nan (王幸男) said after the meeting.

Cheng said he had only acknowledged the newspaper's long-time support for the DPP in the gathering, Wang said.

Wang said that while the DPP considered the gathering "an ordinary social event," it believes that Cheng had invited "inappropriate" guests to the gathering.

"But it is a fact that Lai Kuo-chou (賴國洲) crossed the line [during TTV share sale]," he said, referring to the opinion of attendees from a Cabinet team responsible for handling governmental stock shares in media groups.

Lai, the former chairman and president of TTV, stepped down on Monday because he had applied to the National Communications Commission to purchase 4.8 percent of the TTV shares owned by three Japanese firms, raising fears that his move could impact the auction.

Meanwhile, Taiwan Solidarity Union caucus whip Tseng Tsahn-deng (曾燦燈) and Legislator Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) urged Su to recall Cheng and Chen.
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