The Control Yuan impeached Legislative Secretary-General Lin Hsi-shan (林錫山) yesterday over an investment irregularity, but Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said Lin would remain in his job until the Judicial Yuan makes a decision on disciplinary action.
By a vote of 7 to 5, Lin was impeached for violating Article 13 of the Civil Servants Work Act (公務員服務法), which stipulates that public servants cannot hold more than 10 percent of a company’s shares.
Control Yuan member Yeh Yao-peng (葉耀鵬) was assigned to investigate the case after the Control Yuan found in Lin’s property disclosure statement that he held 91.8 percent of shares of an investment company — with an estimated value of NT$23.5 million (US$800,300) — owned by his sister in 2009.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Lin admitted to owning the shares when he was questioned by the Control Yuan, but said he did not know that the investment was not legally permitted, Yeh said.
The case was referred to the Public Functionary Disciplinary Sanction Commission under the Judicial Yuan to make a disciplinary decision.
In 2010, Duan Wei (韋伯韜), chairman of Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Co (TTL), was found to have violated the same clause.
He was given a demerit by the commission and stepped down from TTL.
Lin said he respected the decision made by the Control Yuan, adding that he has righted the wrong and told Wang that he would accept any punishment.
Lin is right-hand man to Wang, who appointed him to the position in 1999, after Wang was elected speaker of the legislature for the first time.
The irregularity had nothing to do with acts performed in the course of his official duties and with his personal integrity, Wang said.
“The legislature still needs Lin’s help,” Wang said.
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