A former Yilan County official yesterday requested that prosecutors probe Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and his assistants on suspicion of corruption and forgery after Wu’s trip to Hong Kong last month.
Lin Chin-kun (林錦坤), a former Yuanshan Village (員山) representative, yesterday morning mailed a written request to the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigation Panel (SIP) requesting an investigation into whether Wu and his assistants used diplomatic affairs funds to pay for the trip to Hong Kong, the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported.
Since assuming office, Wu has been bombarded with questions regarding the short trip he made early last month after President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) asked him to take the job but before his appointment was announced on Sept. 6.
Inconsistent explanations were offered by government officials concerning the purpose of Wu’s trip.
It was also revealed that he originally concealed a meeting with Peter Kwok (郭炎), a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Wu also met the man many see as Beijing’s preferred candidate for the territory’s next chief executive, Leung Chun-ying (梁振英).
Wu said last month that he visited Hong Kong to consult a fortune teller. However, he was then confronted by a Democratic progressive Party (DPP) legislator who produced proof that he was reimbursed with NT$160,000 in diplomatic affairs funds for the trip. Wu said he had not signed any expense forms and would give the money back.
Lin said he suspected Wu and his assistants of corruption and forgery because if the trip was not for official business, Wu should not have used public funds.
Lin also expressed suspicion over how the expenses were approved and the money transferred into Wu’s personal bank account if Wu did not sign the necessary paperwork to apply for a reimbursement.
The SIP declined to comment yesterday, saying they had yet to receive Lin’s written request.
In response, Wu yesterday said that he did not use public funds for his trip and denied that he had lied.
Wu said his legislative assistants had sought the reimbursement on Sept. 7 without his knowledge and that signatures were not required for such reimbursements.
“I returned the money to the legislature on Sept. 14,” he said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHIH HSIU-CHUAN
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