The Presidential Office vowed yesterday to push “sunshine bills” in the upcoming legislative session, but stopped short of promising to pass them during that period.
Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had always been against corruption, as highlighted by his anti-corruption platform during the presidential election and the code of ethics for civil servants he proposed after taking office.
“The administration has made ‘sunshine laws’ priority bills for the legislative session,” Wang said. “President Ma’s efforts show that he not only opposes corruption in principle, but also in deed.”
Asked by the Taipei Times whether the Presidential Office was determined to push the “sunshine bills” during the legislative session, Wang said the position of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus — which holds a majority in the legislature — was in line with that of the Presidential Office.
“We believe caucus members will do their best,” he said. “We are very determined and will make efforts to pass those bills as soon as possible.”
Wang made the remarks in response to requests by former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) yesterday.
Shih was the leader of the campaign in 2006 seeking to depose then president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) at the height of a corruption scandal surrounding Chen’s family and close aides.
While Ma declined to receive Shih yesterday, Presidential Office Secretary-General Chan Chun-po (詹春柏) did so. Wang said it would have been inappropriate for Ma to meet Shih because the president did not want to give the impression that he was meddling in the Chen case.
“As it is a legal case rather than a political one, the president wants to see the judiciary handle the case independently,” Wang said.
“If the justice minister or chief of the investigation bureau should not be involved in the case, then there is no reason whatsoever for the president to do so either,” he said.
Although Ma has made it clear he does not tolerate crime and corruption, Wang said, all legal cases must follow due process and Ma would be happy to meet Shih after the Chen case is closed.
Shih also requested that Ma supervise the investigation into Chen’s alleged money laundering.
On his way to the Presidential Office, Shih told reporters he was convinced Chen and his family were corrupt, but that many people were unaware of it. Shih urged Ma “to exercise his resolve, fortitude and wisdom to crack down on corruption, at a time when the public has lost faith in the judiciary.”
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