Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
"I told minister Tzeng [on Monday] that such a thing [internal strife between officials] should not be tolerated, and I asked him to take resolute action," Chang said.
In response, Tzeng said as a minister, he would assess the differences of opinion in the ministry and would call the two officials to sort things out face to face.
"Lin has been a great help to me, but for the moment I wish he would remain quiet," the minister said, referring to Vice Minister of Education Lin Chao-hsien (林昭賢), who is involved in the row.
When asked when and how he would deal with the discord, Tzeng said he had not yet come up with a solution or timetable, and that he needed to talk to his aides before taking action.
On Monday, Lin publicly criticized his colleague, vice minister Fan Sun-lu (范巽綠), saying it was unfair of her to insinuate the previous day that he was involved in the financial scandal surrounding the private Jin-Wen Institution of Technology (景文技術學院).
"Her accusations were completely groundless. When the scandal broke out, I was not in charge of any issue related to the school. How could [she] make allegations without verification?" Lin said.
Besides dismissing her intimation, Lin said "it is no secret that Fan has failed to win the hearts of the staff in the ministry because she interferes with everything, and is like a layman leading a group of professionals."
Lin also compared her relationship with Tzeng to two lovers, who "appear united outwardly but are divided in their hearts."
Outraged with the comments, Fan was quick to strike back, saying she only felt amused upon hearing Lin's distorted remarks. Asked about her relationship with Tzeng, Fan said the two made a good pair.
"The minister and I cooperate perfectly in furthering educational reform. Opposition from older officials is inevitable because they have a habit of being involved with special interest groups," said Fan, referring to Lin's alleged involvement in the Jin-Wen scandal.
She asked Lin to face the music, adding that it is no use obscuring reality by attacking her.
Lin has been on leave since the incident occurred.
Since Fan took office last May, her hard-line attitude pushing for educational reform and her outspoken manner has drawn criticism that she is overriding the powers of the minister (Tzeng) or that she and Tzeng are out of tune. As a democratic activist, Fan won her present position due to a long-standing relationship with the DPP and a high-profile performance when she was a lawmaker concentrating on educational issues.
In contrast with Fan, Lin is a political conservative.
Being a civil servant for over 40 years, he is one of the few high-ranking educational officials who has an abundance of experience working in schools and educational bureaus. Since the DPP took the reins, Lin, a longtime KMT supporter, has been feeling elbowed out and is reportedly frustrated by his failure to win Fan's trust.
Lin is mired in the Jin-Wen group financial scandal, as he is residing in a villa in the Ta Hsueh Shih Hsiang (
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