Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) yesterday filed a defamation suit against Next Magazine editor-in-chief Pei Wei (裴偉), senior reporter Hsieh Zhong-liang (謝忠良) and reporter Wen Huei-min (溫惠敏) after the magazine accused him of accepting bribes from a parking lot management company.
“I don’t know what to say because it is impossible to explain something that never happened,” Chou told a press conference yesterday.
Chou’s chief of staff Mai An-huai (麥安懷) and lawyers Chou Kuo-dai (周國代) and Lee Cheng-chi (李承志) were also present. Chou is seeking NT$50 million (US$1.6 million) in compensation, while Mai is demanding NT$30 million.
RESPONSE
The lawsuit came in response to a report in the magazine’s latest edition that said Parkimo Co (百清), a firm that manages parking lots in Banciao, Taipei City, allegedly offered more than NT$10 million to the Taipei County Government, two Mercedes-Benz vehicles to Mai and a Honda minivan for Chou’s official use in return for favorable treatment in its bid to manage Taipei County’s public parking lots.
The report said that prosecutors had launched an investigation into the case.
Chou said that three members of the company were under investigation because the company had broken a contract with the Taipei County Government last month.
GOVERNMENT BID
He said his car was purchased via a government bid, which could be proven if necessary.
“The report reported that there were two Mercedes-Benz vehicles. What are their plate numbers? Make public the plate numbers so we can prove our innocence,” Chou said.
Mai said he did buy a Mercedes six or seven years ago, but sold the car after Chou became commissioner in 2005.
“I sold the Mercedes because Chou asked me to,” Mai said.
“I will resign immediately if the magazine’s accusations turn out to be true,” he said.
Next Magazine is famous for its aggressive reporters and bold reporting style, which has embroiled the company in a number of controversies.
Next has also been involved in several libel cases, the most significant of which involved a charitable organization in China called Project Hope.
Next claimed that Project Hope had misappropriated millions of yuan, but after a suit was filed, the Hong Kong high court found it guilty of defamation and awarded the plaintiff US$500,000.
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