An investigation report released by the Control Yuan yesterday cleared the names of former National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) president Chang Chun-yen (張俊彥) and Polaris Securities Co (寶來證券) chairman Wayne Pai (白文正), saying Chang did not receive financial support from Pai.
Chang was originally nomination by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) last July as Examination Yuan president.
Chang, however, withdrew his nomination after the body of Pai was found in Penghu.
Speculation was rife that Pai committed suicide because of a Next Magazine report, which alleged that Chang had been taking money from Polaris since 2004, when the university conferred an honorary doctorate on Pai.
Chang said he did not withdraw because he couldn’t stand the pressure, but because he was distressed by the media and political machinations that distort humanity.
At the time, some Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators had given Chang the cold shoulder because of his ties to former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). Chang was an adviser to Chen in the run-up to the 2000 presidential election.
Chang later appealed to Control Yuan member Huang Huang-hsiung (黃煌雄), asking to have his name cleared, which Huang did in a report yesterday.
The result of the investigation not only recognized Chang’s contribution to Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, but also confirmed that Pai’s honorary degree from NCTU was well deserved.
Committee members at the Control Yuan said the university should be blamed for its failure to limit the damage resulting from Pai’s suicide.
The report said Chang been instrumental in promoting Taiwan’s semiconductor industry and training many high-tech talents. His contributions are recognized by NCTU faculty, student, and alumni. Pai’s honorary doctorate degree was also given according to the standard evaluation process, the report said.
In response to the Control Yuan’s report, Chang issued a statement yesterday, saying "belated justice is still a justice...but for Pai, the justice came too late."
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