Members of the government are to pay their election campaign travel expenses out of their own pockets, the government's chief spokesman said yesterday.
As senior DPP officials and political heavyweights, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) have become the party's "super stumpers" at campaign rallies, and are keeping increasingly busy schedules in the lead-up to the Dec. 1 elections.
A crowd gathers wherever these government officials go. However, they are required to pay for their own trips just like civilians, government spokesman Su Tzen-ping (
"No off-duty government officials that attend campaign rallies may use any public money for these private purposes," Su said, dismissing criticism that most government officials take advantage of public money to meet their campaign funding needs.
President Chen, Vice President Lu and Premier Chang have amassed hefty travel bills as the DPP's chief campaigners.
Su said that members of the government, including the president, are paying their own airfare but that the travel expenses of their entourages, including security personnel, are being met by the government.
"Because they are on duty 24-hours a day to meet the safety concerns of these government officials, the government should pay for their travel," Su said.
Echoing Su's remarks, Kuo Yao-chi (
When they fly to destinations not served by domestic airlines, however, charges are made on the basis of the distance travelled.
Kuo said that the president had made a deposit of some NT$600,000 with the presidential security chief, from which deductions would be made for his campaign travel expenses. She added that the same rules apply to the vice president, the premier and all other government officials.
Additionally, Kuo yesterday said that the president has stated he would pay for any vehicle he uses during his campaign trips even though the law does not require him to do so, "setting a precedent to clearly distinguish government officials' public affairs expenses from those for private purposes."
Rates charged depend on time and distance, she added.
Su said that Cabinet Secretary-general Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) also was making arrangements for politically appointed government officials, who may not be DPP members, to stump for DPP candidates.
Su, however, added that those who were asked to campaign were under no obligation to accept the invitation.
Since the law requires all government officials to maintain neutrality in the course of their public duties during elections, Su said he agreed that regulations should clearly state when and how government officials may engage in campaign activities.
However, since no legal precadent has been established, a gray area exists within which government officials have to decide for themselves whether they have overstepped the bounds, he added.
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