As the investigation of the bribery scandal in the bidding process for the Taipei Twin Towers project continues, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday dismissed concerns about Taipei City Finance Department Commissioner Chiu Da-chan’s (邱大展) position in the project, and said the city government would not jump to conclusions before the final rulings are announced.
Prosecutors summoned Chiu on Wednesday on suspicion that he leaked information on the list of project review panel members to the developer helping it win the bid. He was released later the same day and returned to work at Taipei City Hall.
“We will not protect any civil servants that are found to have been involved in illegal acts. However, we must not rush to conclusions before the final ruling is announced. In the meantime, we need to protect innocent civil servants and safeguard their rights,” he said in response to media queries.
Chiu yesterday declined to comment on his alleged involvement in the scandal.
The developer, a multinational consortium led by Taipei Gateway International Development, lost its bid for the NT$70 billion (US$2.4 billion) project after it failed to provide a NT$1.89 billion performance bond by Feb. 21.
Taipei City councilors have accused Hau and city officials including Chiu of covering up for the developer, but the mayor has defended the bidding process, saying that it was conducted according to the highest standards and followed legal procedures.
The failed cooperation with the developer also resulted in the resignation of former head of Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems Richard Chen (陳椿亮).
In accordance with the bidding process, the city government is to start negotiating a contract with second-highest bidder, BES Engineering Corp, to proceed with the construction.
Hau said the city government would seek more information on the investigation, and if prosecutors conclude that the bidding process was flawed, negotiations with the second bidder may be delayed.
The project was initiated by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in 2004 when he was Taipei mayor and had suffered four failed bids prior to last year.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost