President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) daughter Lesley Ma (馬唯中) is safe living in Hong Kong, National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Der-sheng (蔡得勝) said yesterday.
Tsai was responding to press inquiries about her security in the Chinese special administrative region.
Speaking on the sidelines of a legislative Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee meeting, Tsai said an effective mechanism for protecting the safety of members of the first family has long been in place, in accordance with existing laws and regulations.
According to the Special Service Act (特種勤務條例), members of the first family are not guarded by special service agents if they reside outside Taiwan.
However, special protective measures can be adopted with the approval of the bureau head if security concerns arise.
Tsai said the security mechanism to protect the first family has been crafted in terms of the law, practical needs and special features of the environments in which the members of the first family are living.
“Besides upholding the rule of law, the establishment of the mechanism also requires the consent and cooperation of family members and should meet special features of the living environments,” Tsai said.
To date, the mechanism has been operating smoothly, he added.
The Presidential Office confirmed a week earlier that Leslie Ma, the elder of the president’s two daughters, was married last year to Allen Tsai (蔡沛然), who currently works in Hong Kong.
According to Hong Kong media reports, she lives in a hillside apartment owned by her husband, a fashion model-turned-banker.
Lesley Ma tends to use public transportation and typically keeps a low profile, the reports said.
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