The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s Special Investigation Panel (SIP) yesterday confirmed that former first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) gave a list to prosecutors that detailed political donations totaling NT$1.21 billion (US$35 million) offered by 20 businesspeople to former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
SIP Spokesman Chen Yun-nan (陳雲南) said that “the document Wu gave prosecutors was related to enterprises offering funds to Chen.” But Chen Yun-nan refused to confirm any names on the list or how much money each had offered.
Chen Yun-nan made the remarks in response to a story in yesterday’s edition of Next Magazine that said Wu had given the list to SIP prosecutors on Feb. 3.
The magazine reported that donors included late Formosa Plastics Group chairman Wang Yung-ching (王永慶), late Yulon Motor Co chairwoman Wu Shuen-wen (吳舜文), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘), founding chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Morris Chang (張忠謀), Far Eastern Group chairman Douglas Hsu (徐旭東), Taishin Financial chairman Thomas Wu (吳東亮), Cathay Financial Holding Co chairman Tsai Hung-tu (蔡宏圖), former Chinatrust Financial Holding Co vice chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒), Yuanta Group chairman Rudy Ma (馬志玲), Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) founder Rong San Lin (林榮三) and others.
Wu Shu-jen’s lawyer Lin Chih-chung (林志忠) told reporters that Wu had given the list to prosecutors to cooperate with their ongoing investigations.
As of press time, Morris Chang and Douglas Hsu had released press statements denying they had offered money to Chen.
A spokesperson from the Liberty Times dismissed the report as false.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Su Cheng-ching (蘇震清) said “it is immoral to release the names of enterprisers who offered political donations to Chen in good faith.”
DPP Legislator Lee Chun-yee (李俊毅) said he was concerned that enterprises might not offer political donations to the DPP and its politicians in the future following the publicity.
Meanwhile, Chen Shui-bian’s lawyer Cheng Wen-lung (鄭文龍) said yesterday that Chen proposed suing four SIP prosecutors for abuse of power and forgery.
Cheng said the former president believed the four prosecutors had illegally asked Jeffrey Koo Jr to make a false statement during questioning as prosecutors investigated the Hsinchu Science Park’s alleged purchase of a piece of land in Longtan (龍潭), Taoyuan County, from Koo’s company at a higher-than-market price in 2004.
Cheng added that Chen was angry with prosecutors for making what he said were fake statements against him.
Chen Shui-bian, his wife, son and daughter-in-law were indicted on Dec. 12 on charges of corruption, money laundering, embezzlement and forgery.
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