Minister Without Portfolio Chang Yu-hui (
"Media speculation is rife about my involvement in the notorious Jin-Wen Group scandal. Although I am innocent, my family and I have been deeply hurt by rumors, which have also damaged the Cabinet's reputation. I've therefore, resolutely decided to step down," Chang Yu-hui said yesterday morning, breaking his silence for the first time in a week.
PHOTO: LIAO RAY-SHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
He added that he had appointed a lawyer to defend him and that he would later ask his brother-in-law to provide evidence to clarify the details of the purchase by his son, Chang Chieh-kai (張介鍇), of a villa in the Ta Hsueh Shih Hsiang (大學詩鄉) community.
Chang Yu-hui did not say whether he would accept the premier's offer of a demotion.
Prosecutors yesterday said that they would probably question Chang Yu-hui again over his involvement in the purchase of the villa by his son, who, they said, would have been unlikely to be able to afford such a villa, as he is only in his twenties. The purchase was made in 1999.
The premier yesterday reiterated in the legislature that he had instructed prosecutors to "dig out all the evidence during the investigation into the scandal, regardless of which government officials may have to be questioned."
A former chairman of the state-run Central Trust of China (中央信託局), Chang Yu-hui was questioned on March 30 by prosecutors about his suspected involvement in the snowballing scandal.
Despite his denial, the Taiwan High Court Prosecutors' Office suspects that Chang Yu-hui, two years ago, approved an unlawful NT$640 million loan to the Yu Chuan (
Prosecutors also reportedly suspect that Chang's son was given the villa as a kickback from the Jin-Wen Group for Chang's assistance with the illegal loan.
Chang Yu-hui had previously released a written statement to deny his role in the scandal
But it was reported that the villa was sold by Lin Tsung-sung (
Meanwhile, prosecutors yesterday afternoon issued an order for the arrest of Chang Wang-li and his two sons, Chang Chi-ping (
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